Mildred M. (Gleason) Harris was an American politician who was the first woman to serve on the Boston City Council.
[5] In 1937, Richard Gleason died and she ran in the special election for his Ward 9 seat on the Boston City Council.
[6] In addition to receiving support from the Gleason political machine, including former rival Mary Gleason, Harris was also backed by African-American political leader Edna Black, who chose to support Harris over African-American candidate Ernest D.
Harris suffered a fractured skull and required fifty stitches for cuts on her head, neck, and face, however the car she was driving in was undamaged.
She stated that she fell out of the vehicle after accidentally hitting the door handle while putting a blanket on a passenger in the car's back seat.