Bernice Hubbard May (1897-1975) entered politics after the death of her husband, UC Berkeley professor Samuel Chester May, in 1955, following a career in administration at UC. She first ran for Berkeley City Council in 1959 with the slogan, "In April, vote for May." Her successful campaign led to over a decade on the council, where she was a strong and respected progressive voice. She campaigned for several African-American council members, including Zack Brown, Roy Nichols, and Ron Dellums, and sought, both locally and as president of the California League of Women Voters, to increase the presence of women in politics. She ended her last City Council term in 1971, when she decided not to seek re-election. While active in Berkeley government, May also worked on a regional scale, serving as commissioner for both the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (1965-1971) and the Bay Area Transportation Study Commission (1969-1970), as well as a member of the executive committee for the Association of Bay Area Governments (1968-1971). As a member of the Citizens' Task Force of the East Bay Regional Park District (ca. 1972-1973), May continued a lifelong interest in conservation and worked to make the bay accessible to urban populations. A prominent political figure in Berkeley and beyond, Bernice Hubbard May was an abiding influence through a tumultuous period in the region's history.
From the description of Bernice Hubbard May papers, 1930-1975 (bulk 1959-1975). (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 26643546
