Helen Elsie Austin

Helen Elsie Austin (1908 – 2004) was an attorney, US Foreign Service Officer, and member of the Bahá'í National Spiritual Assemblies in the United States and North West Africa. She was among the first African Americans admitted to the practice of law in the United States [ [http://www.jtbf.org/subtopic/?fDD=11-32 First African American Lawyers] Just the Beginning Foundation] .

Austin was gifted with a natural humor illustrated by this quote: "I have shortened this talk, lest it become like the mercy of God in that it endures forever and passes all understanding." [http://news.bahai.org/story/338 Standing up for justice and truth] ]

Austin was born in Alabama. Both her parents worked at the Tuskegee Institute; her father served as Commandant of Men. [http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2626 Ohio History Central » History » People » Austin, Elsie] ] When the family moved to Ohio, her mother worked at Stowe School. Austin graduated from Walnut Hills High School, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1924. She is known to have interrupted a class on an extended description of the contributions of Africans after correcting a textbook. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1928 and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1930 from the University of Cincinnati, becoming the first black woman to graduate from the UC Law School as well as the 8th president of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. [ [http://www.dst-harfordcountyalumnae.org/images/DeltaFirsts.doc Women of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Changing America and the World] ] Austin was on the staff of the Rocky Mountain Law Review and of the Cincinnati Law Review. In 1938 she received a Doctor of Laws degree from Wilberforce University. She was the first black woman to serve as Assistant Attorney General in Ohio (1937-38) and became legal advisor to the District of Columbia government in 1939.

Austin joined the Bahá'í Faith in 1934 and met Hands of the Cause Dorothy Beecher Baker and Louis George Gregory and was elected to its United States governing body in 1944. After pilgrimage to Haifa, Austin pioneered to Morocco in 1953 [ [http://bahai-library.com/writings/shoghieffendi/mbw/mbwall.html MESSAGES TO THE BAHA'I WORLD: 1950-1957, © (U.S., 1971)] page 52] , gaining status as a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh. While teaching at the American School of Tangier in Morocco (1954-57), she helped establish Baha'i communities in northern and western Africa. In 1955 Dr. Austin wrote "Above All Barriers: The Story of Louis G. Gregory" reprinted in 1964, 1976. [ [http://bahai-library.com/books/biblio/biography.autobio.html The Babi and Baha'i Religions: An Annotated Bibliography] entry 57] Dr. Austin was elected to the regional National Spiritual Assembly of North West Africa and helped elect the first Universal House of Justice in 1963. [ [http://bahai-library.com/index.php5?file=uhj_ministry_custodians.html&chapter=7 THE MINISTRY OF THE CUSTODIANS 1957-1963, 1992 The Universal House of Justice ISBN 0-85398-350-X p.411] ] Ultimately Austin served on Local Spiritual Assemblies in five countries: United States, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, and the Bahamas and also served as one of the first members of the Auxiliary Board, assisting the Hand of the Cause Musa Banani.

In 1958 she was appointed executive director of the National Women's Council.

As a US Foreign Service Officer from 1960-1970, she served as a Cultural attaché with the United States Information Agency in Lagos, Nigeria and later in Nairobi, Kenya. She received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Cincinnati in 1960. [ [http://www.uc.edu/awards/honorary_degree_date.html Honorary Degree - Chronological List Conferred by the University of Cincinnati] ] The same university named a scholarship in her honor in 2000. [ [http://www.law.uc.edu/alumni/counselor/fall00/afrmreun.html Blest Be the Tie That Binds Us] ]

Austin retired from the Foreign Service in 1970. In 1975 Austin chaired the Baha'i delegation to the International Women's Conference in Mexico City. In 1982 Austin worked with the Phelps Stokes Fund in China inspecting schools, businesses and community services affecting education and opportunities for minorities. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_21_106/ai_n7580057 Dr. H. Elsie Austin, 98, diplomat, pioneer Civil Rights worker, dies, Nov 22, 2004] ] She lived in Silver Spring, Maryland before moving to San Antonio, Texas in June 2004. She died of congestive heart failure on 26 October 2004. Public memorial services were held at the Bahá'í House of Worship in the United States and in Uganda.

References

* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13545-2004Nov25.html Washington Post Obituary, with photo, 26 Nov 2004 page B06]

* [http://www.dacorbacon.org/Bulletins/2005/January/Jan.htm obituary in The DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired) Bulletin, Jan 2005]