From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

Jesse Crenshaw was born in Glasgow, KY. In 1978 he became the first African American lawyer appointed as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; at that time, Hancey Jones, also an African American, was over the Western District of Kentucky. Crenshaw was elected to serve in the Kentucky General Assembly as Representative of House District 77 (Fayette County) from 1993 to 2015, not seeking reelection in his final term.

For more see Who's Who in American Politics, 14th-17th ed.; "Veteran House member to retire - Lexington's Crenshaw WON'T SEEK A 12TH TERM, Lexington Herald-Leader, 12/17/2013; "Voting-rights bill gets House OK, ovation - retiring lawmaker hailed for efforts," Lexington Herald-Leader, 1/17/2014, p.  A1; "Crenshaw closes out 22-year run[;] history-making fayette county state rep reflects on tenure," Lexington Herald-Leader, 1/2/2015, p. 1A; "Jesse Crenshaw" at ballotpedia.org;"2020 Hall of Fame Inductee: Jesse Crenshaw" at the J. David Rosenberg College of Law website; Oral History Interview with Jesse Crenshaw, 2/9/2001, in the SPOKEdb; and contact the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.