▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁hear ▁First ▁Lady ▁Ele an or ▁Ro ose vel t ▁speak ▁at ▁Howard ▁University ▁and ▁worked ▁with ▁civil ▁rights ▁activ ist ▁Mary ▁Mc Le od ▁Beth une , ▁who ▁as ▁Director ▁of ▁Neg ro ▁Affairs ▁had ▁an ▁office ▁in ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁during ▁the ▁Ro ose vel t ▁administration . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Rol la ▁worked ▁as ▁the ▁super visor ▁of ▁the ▁cler ical ▁and ▁typing ▁pool ▁at ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Mar itime ▁Commission ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁War ▁Service ▁Cert ificate ▁for ▁her ▁leadership . ▁By ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁she ▁had ▁married , ▁returned ▁to ▁Fort ▁W orth , ▁and ▁become ▁a ▁lic ensed ▁fun eral ▁director , ▁working ▁at ▁Baker ▁and ▁Har de e - Ad ams ▁fun eral ▁homes , ▁which ▁served ▁the ▁black ▁community ▁in ▁seg reg ated ▁Fort ▁W orth . ▁From ▁ 1 9 5 2 - 1 9 5 6 , ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁man aging ▁editor ▁of ▁the ▁Dallas ▁Express , ▁the ▁oldest ▁black ▁newspaper ▁in ▁Texas . ▁From ▁ 1 9 5 5 - 1 9 5 8 , ▁she ▁worked ▁as ▁de an ▁of ▁women ▁at ▁Jar vis ▁Christian ▁College ▁in ▁East ▁Texas . ▁She ▁worked ▁for ▁Texas ▁state ▁sen ator ▁Don ▁Kenn ard ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁doc ent ▁at ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁Museum ▁of ▁Science ▁and ▁History ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁ ▁Activ ism ▁ ▁Len ora ▁Rol la ▁was