LEXINGTON, Ky. — Jesse Crenshaw, a Knob Lick native from the Barren and Metcalfe county line and a pioneering Kentucky attorney and legislator, died April 26, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. He was 79.

Crenshaw, a Lexington lawyer, made history as the first Black person in Fayette County elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives.

“Jessee Crenshaw was a man of many firsts, breaking racial barriers and serving as an inspirational leader for Kentuckians,” said Gov. Andy Beshear in a Monday statement. “A veteran, lawyer, state representative, teacher and father, Jesse made a difference in the lives of many, and his legacy will live on for generations.”

The Herald-Leader reports Crenshaw had been battling an illness and died at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

Crenshaw served in the Kentucky House for 22 years, from 1993 to 2015, representing the 77th District.

During his tenure, he helped establish the Kentucky Legal Education Opportunity program alongside former Chief Justice Joseph Lambert, aimed at expanding opportunities for underrepresented students in Kentucky law schools, according to the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law.

Raised by his grandparents from a young age, Crenshaw grew up on more than 150 acres of land near the Barren-Metcalfe county line in Knob Lick.

He later rose to prominence in Kentucky politics and legal circles, serving as vice chairman of former President Bill Clinton’s successful Kentucky campaign. That same year, he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Smith and Smith Funeral Home in Lexington. Services will be announced at a later date.