The first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Cincinnati School of Law,[1][2] Austin was appointed in 1937 as an assistant attorney general in Ohio.

George's sister Jennie Charlotte Austin was among African-American students admitted to the College of Education at the University of Cincinnati in the early 20th century; she graduated in the class of 1911.

The family was still at Tuskegee in 1910, according to the US Census, By 1912, her father worked as Commandant of Men at the Prairie View Normal School in Austin, Texas, established for African-American students.

She was one of the pioneers noted in the late 20th century by Goler Teal Butcher, a professor of international law at Howard University who established a scholarship for black women.

Austin began to be active with the NAACP, sometimes speaking about its work, and also representing the organization in civil suits challenging segregation and restrictions.

She met Louis George Gregory, an African-American lawyer and leader in the Bahá'i faith, and Dorothy Baker, who were both influential members who helped her overcome her feelings of bitterness.

[43] She was also appointed to the Board of Trustees of Wilberforce University, an HBCU in Ohio that had been owned and operated by the AME Church since the Civil War.

[47] In 1937 Austin was confirmed in her appointment as an assistant attorney general for Ohio under Herbert S. Duffy[5] which made news in a number of venues,[48] still living at the address of her family.

[49] She continued her work in a variety of settings - YMCA[50] in public society,[51] joined a regional committee overseeing the Baháʼí Faith in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky,[52] and presented at a symposium in Cleveland.

[54] By May she had been selected as secretary of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP and elected chair of legal committee of Colored Women Federated Clubs.

[72] Because of technicalities, Attorney General Duffy ruled that Governor Davey's proposed appointment to the Wilbeforce board was illegal, and Austin was confirmed to continue as a holdover.

She was accompanied by her mother Mary Louise and brother George Austin, Jr.[77] She finished her two-year term as assistant attorney general.

[80] By September she had moved to Washington, D.C. Over the next several years, she handled federal legal matters for the Office of Emergency Management and the National Labor Relations Board.

[96] Commentary on social engagements followed her in 1942,[97] Austin presented the Baháʼí teachings during a national meeting in June marking the anniversary of the founding of the religion.

[108] At the June anniversary of the visit of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, then leader of the religion, to New Jersey, Austin gave a talk about "Bases for a durable peace" in the last months of WWII.

[114] Amidst a national campaign of meetings for the religion, Austin was among those making an appearance in Boston,[115] and then in Pittsburgh in a contrasting tone to that elsewhere in the black community,[116] though the Baháʼís were "electrified",[117] February ended noting her talk in Cincinnati "Security for a fearful world".

[127] In February Austin was a delegate to the International Council of Women conference called by the United Nations Department of Information at Lake Success, New York.

[157] In 1950 volume 10 of The Baháʼí World reviewed the centenary observance and included Austin's roll,[158] and was part of the report of the national assembly to the community.

In it she states:The achievement of effective understanding and cooperation among the diverse nations, races, and classes of mankind is the chief essential for the survival of civilization.

[164]Late in August the Louhelen School youth program was held with an Austin led class "Divine Art of Living".

[165] The 1951 election returned Austin to the national assembly,[166] and she was chair of the Africa committee which reported to the convention on progress of the religion there as well as seeking more connections.

[110] Austin was a member of the United States International Teaching Committee reporting on progress started previously,[175] followed by appearing at a World Religion Day observance in Wilmington, Delaware, with coverage by WDEL-TV as it was then called.

[41] American newspaper coverage of Austin's travels to Africa and Europe mentioned her in March,[180] while she returned in April to Cincinnati marking the centenary year of the declaration at Ridván of Baháʼu'lláh, founder of the religion, and the dedication of the House of Worship in Chicago.

[184] Ultimately five members resigned to move overseas to promote the religion - Elsie Austin, Dorothy Baker, Matthew Bullock, W. Kenneth Christian and Mamie Seto - and they were replaced by Lawrence Hautz, Charles Wolcott, Charlotte Linfoot, Robert McLaughlin and Margery McCormick.

[185] Austin moved to what was then called the Morocco International Zone centered on Tangier,[186][187] credited with arriving October 23, 1953,[188] for which she was ultimately named a Knight of Baháʼu'lláh.

[207] In late May Austin attended a leadership NCNW meeting in Daytona, Florida,[208] directly before going in June to St. Petersburg, and gave a talk for the Baháʼís as part of observing Race Unity Day.

[213] There there was a link made,[214] and she was hired for the United States Information Agency as a cultural attaché,[12] for in 1961 a news bit mentioned she was in Nigeria,[215] and expecting visitors in the fall.

[41] In 1968 the USIA recognized her achievements by nominating her for the Federal Women's Award,[12] and by the late summer was giving a talk as part of an observance of the Baháʼí holy day the Birth of the Báb in Cincinnati.

She also wrote about colleagues and In April 1972 Austin was the keynote speaker at a symposium of the African-American Studies Program at Hampton Institute in Virginia.

For every group which rises to liberalize and unite the people there are others surely at work under cover dividing and agitating.… Now is the time for every bit of organization, strength and for all types of leadership to unite in an educational campaign to mould new ideas of Americanism and race and to develop a sense of unity in the American people.… Brotherhood is no longer an idea in this age, it is a social necessity without which all men will be in danger of extermination.… When the time for showdown comes as it must we shall not be able to hold these victories in the face of heightened tension, bitterness and strain unless we have developed a powerful force for public opinion between white and black America and a strong sense of unity.