During the Eisenhower administration. she was assistant U.S. Attorney. the first black woman to hold that post. She was a good friend of Richard Nixon and seconded his nomination for President at the Republican National Convention in 1960. In 1972. she became the Deputy Solicitor General in the Justice Department and later served as U.S. Ambassador at Large for 4 years in the Bush administration and finished her government career as Coordinator of Refugee Affairs. Her longtime friend. George JOHNSON. founder and chairman of JOHNSON Products. described her this way: She gave her legal services to the downtrodden people who could not fight for themselves.