House 1973-80 (District 39B)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Counties Served:
Hennepin
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
4/22/1928
Birth Place:
Jetmore, Kansas
Birth County:
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
5/27/2022
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Baptist
Reported Minority: Black
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Bloomington
Occupation (when first elected):
Engineer
EDUCATION
University of Kansas; B.S.; Electric Engineering, 1951
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Municipal Board/Commission:
Bloomington, Minnesota (Environmental Issues Advisory Council);
19?? to 19??
[Appointed]
Military:
United States Army (Korean War, Served Stateside, Army Engineer, 2 years);
195? to 19??
Municipal Council/Aldermen:
Bloomington, Minnesota (City Council);
1970 to 1973
[Elected]
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Arthur Gene Crenshaw (she served on the Governor's Judicial Selection Board)
Children:
Two children: Margo Elaine, and Kevin Terrance
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He was the second known African American to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives. (Session Weekly, January 18, 1991) The first known African American to serve was John Frances "Frank" Wheaton in 1899.
He was a member of the Republican Party.
He was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
He was a member of Creek Valley Baptist Church, Edina.
While in the Legislature, "he helped create the vision of Dred Scott playfields and development of affordable housing, environmental protection of the MN River Water Shed areas and the Mall of America." (Star Tribune obituary, 6/5/2022)
His funeral will be held at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis on June 11, 2022 at 1pm.
Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1977-78 and the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.