[2] In 1939, White was named as the president of the Houston chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) before becoming executive secretary of the branch in 1943.

Lulu was the eleventh of their twelve children, seven of whom were born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, before Henry and Easter Madison moved the family to Elmo after 1891.

Because White was unable to find a job in Houston due to her husband's connection with the Civil Rights Movement, she took a teaching position in Lufkin, Texas, where she taught English and physical education.

Notably, White helped to recruit Heman Marion Sweatt as the plaintiff in a test case to challenge segregation at the University of Texas School of Law.

In 1949, White stepped down from her role as executive secretary of the Houston branch after disagreements with Carter Wesley over the issue of racial integration.

In promoting this idea, she encouraged African Americans to seek employment opportunities at businesses that were traditionally regarded as white establishments.