Marriage and Teaching Career

After graduating she became a teacher at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina.   She taught at Lander University for one year, then moved back to Iowa City in  1929.  On August 26, 1929 she married Allyn Lemme.  

Helen and Allyn Lemme moved to Montgomery, Alabama.  She accepted a teaching position at the Alabama State Teachers College located in Montgomery Alabama.  This college was later name Alabama State College of Negroes, and was later named Alabama State University.

The Lemmes moved back to Iowa City, Iowa.  She originally planned to work on her Master’s degree but her plans changed when she gave birth to her son Lawrence on July 31, 1931.  A second son, Paul, was born in 1935.  During this time period the Lemmes provided room and board to African American students enrolled at the University of Iowa.  The University of Iowa did not allow African American students to live in the dormitories until 1946.