Lena Jones Wade Springs (March 22, 1883 - May 17, 1942) was the first woman placed in nomination for

Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the Executive branch of the United States government, executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks f ...

at a political convention. She was nominated at the

1924 Democratic National Convention The 1924 Democratic National Convention, held at the Madison Square Garden (1890), Madison Square Garden in New York City from June 24 to July 9, 1924, was the longest continuously running convention in United States political history. It took ...

. A native of

Pulaski, Tennessee Pulaski is a city in and the county seat of Giles County, which is located on the central-southern border of Tennessee, United States. The population was 8,397 at the 2020 census. It was named after Casimir Pulaski, a noted Polish-born general o ...

, she attended public schools, followed by Sullins College and post-graduate work at

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in Roanoke. She became chair of the English Department at

Queens College Queens College (QC) is a public college in the New York City borough of Queens. Part of the City University of New York system, Queens College occupies an campus primarily located in Flushing. Queens College was established in 1937 and offe ...

in Charlotte, and married Col. Leroy Springs in 1913, a second marriage for both. An enthusiastic supporter of women's rights, she became a

Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal executive leadership board of the United States's Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. According to the party charter, it has "general responsibility for the affairs of the ...

woman in 1922, and served as chair of the Credentials Committee in 1924. While her being supported for the vice presidential nomination was in essence a gesture, she received some votes in the election process, variously given as several, over 50, and 44.Our Campaigns - Candidate - Lena Jones Wade (Mrs. Leroy) Springs
/ref> She died on May 18, 1942, and is buried in Pulaski, Tennessee.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Springs, Lena 1883 births 1942 deaths Tennessee Democrats Female candidates for Vice President of the United States 1924 United States vice-presidential candidates Sullins College alumni People from Pulaski, Tennessee Women in Tennessee politics Queens University of Charlotte faculty 20th-century American women politicians American women academics 20th-century Tennessee politicians