▁and ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twenty - three ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁camp . ▁ ▁Lieutenant ▁Lee ' s ▁ 9 2 0 th ▁Division ▁proved ▁their ▁bra very ▁while ▁station ed ▁in ▁France , ▁and ▁Lee ▁himself ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁French ▁Cro ix ▁de ▁guerre ▁medal ▁for ▁bra very . ▁ ▁His ▁Division ▁none - the - less ▁received ▁rac ist ▁ins ult s ▁and ▁in nu end os ▁from ▁white ▁soldiers . ▁ ▁Lieutenant ▁Lee ▁received ▁an ▁honor able ▁dis charge ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁M emph is ▁where ▁he ▁soon ▁found ▁employ ment ▁as ▁a ▁sales man ▁with ▁the ▁black - owned ▁Mississippi ▁Life ▁In sur ance ▁Company . ▁ ▁Within ▁weeks ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁manager , ▁and ▁then ▁to ▁vice - pres ident ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁ ▁When ▁white - owned ▁Southern ▁Life ▁In sur ance ▁Company ▁purchased ▁Mississippi ▁Life ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁the ▁new ▁own ers ▁requested ▁Lee ▁continue ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁them ▁collect ing ▁prem iums ▁from ▁the ▁black ▁clients , ▁and ▁offered ▁Lee ▁$ 7 , 0 0 0 ▁per ▁year ▁and ▁two ▁percent ▁of ▁each ▁prem ium . ▁ ▁Lee ▁refused , ▁as ser ting ▁that ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁enable ▁the ▁take over ▁of ▁a ▁black - owned ▁business . ▁ ▁Lee ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Atlanta ▁Life ▁In sur ance ▁Company , ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁senior ▁vice - pres ident , ▁and ▁continued ▁to