▁work ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁a ▁car ▁w reck ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁Political ▁Activity ▁▁ ▁George ▁Lee ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁president ial ▁election ▁served ▁as ▁national ▁director ▁of ▁" V eter ans ▁for ▁Ho over ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁Lee ▁delivered ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁speech es ▁at ▁the ▁Republican ▁national ▁convention ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁where ▁he ▁second ed ▁the ▁nom ination ▁of ▁Senator ▁Robert ▁T aft . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁president ial ▁election , ▁Lee ▁is ▁cred ited ▁with ▁deliver ing ▁Tennessee ▁to ▁Eisen h ower . ▁ ▁Author ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁Lee ▁author ed ▁Be ale ▁Street : ▁Where ▁the ▁Blues ▁Beg an ; ▁the ▁first ▁book ▁by ▁a ▁black ▁author ▁advert ised ▁in ▁the ▁Book - of - the - Month ▁Club ▁News . ▁ ▁Lee ' s ▁second ▁novel , ▁River ▁George , ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁Lee ' s ▁stories ▁were ▁published ▁in ▁The ▁Neg ro ▁Dig est , ▁The ▁World ' s ▁Dig est , ▁and ▁Southern ▁Liter ary ▁M essen ger , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁an ▁anth ology ▁of ▁his ▁short ▁stories ▁entitled ▁Be ale ▁Street ▁Sund own ▁was ▁published . ▁ ▁C iv ic ▁In vol vement ▁and ▁Rec ogn ition ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 ,