Crays, Jennie C.

Jennie C. Crays became the first woman to be elected to the Minneapolis, Minnesota school board in 1892. She was nominated by The Woman's Council, which contains representatives of all of the women's societies in the city. Her nomination was backed by the Republican, Prohibition and People's parties. She received a total of 19399 votes, leading the election. The other female nominee, Priscilla M. Niles, who was also endorsed by the Prohibition and People's parties, lost the election with only 5747 votes. In 1897, Jennie Crays was elected president of the school board of Minneapolis, the first woman to occupy this position, with her tenure on the board ending in 1899.