[1] He was also the first African American Assistant Postmaster-General under Postmaster General Winton M. Blount and alongside James Farmer was one of the highest ranking black men in the Nixon Administration.
The family moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, a year later, where they had their other four children: Kermit Lee Jr. (a noted architect and professor at Syracuse University), William, Judith, and Deborah.
[8] At 33 years old, Lee was one of 15 people chosen to be in the inaugural White House Fellows program, initiated by President Lyndon B. Johnson, in 1965.
[9] In 1969, based on his earlier work with the postal service, Lee was sworn in as Assistant Postmaster-General by President Richard Nixon.
[8][10] As Assistant Postmaster, Lee headed the Bureau of Planning, Marketing, and System Analysis, suggesting several reforms for the service.