Background
Robert E. Freed was born May 4, 1919, in Salt Lake City, Utah one of four sons of Lester D. and Jasmine Young Freed, along with David L., Daniel and Peter.
Robert E. Freed was born May 4, 1919, in Salt Lake City, Utah one of four sons of Lester D. and Jasmine Young Freed, along with David L., Daniel and Peter.
A lifetime resident of Utah, Freed was an active participant in the civic and political affairs of the state. Graduating from the University of Utah with high honors, be was invited to membership in Phi Kappa Phi. He majored in education with a degree in speech and theater.
He left the service in 1946 with the rank of First Lieutenant.
After the war, he entered into an agreement to lease the Lagoon Amusement Park, in Farmington, Utah and in 1946, became operational manager of lieutenant Later, he became general manager with the position expanded to include the Terrace Ballroom and associated companies.
lieutenant was under Freed"s direction that Lagoon"s major expansions were made. In 1963, Freed became president of the International Association of Amusement Parks (IAAP).
By the late 1940s, Robert Freed had succeeded in fully opening Lagoon to blacks.
And when his company acquired the Rainbow Gardens, later known as the Terrace Ballroom, the same policy was adopted. Freed once said, "One of the most satisfying experiences of my life was long ago, before civil rights. Legislation was passed, when Lagoon opened its doors to people of all races." In 1965, he was chairman of the Utah State Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, and had served as president of the United Nations of Utah.
He bad also been treasurer of the Salt Lake County Republican Central committee for eight years.
He died on July 17, 1974 in Salt Lake City of cancer.
The award which gave Freed his greatest satisfaction was the one presented to him by the Utah Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the "Human Rights" award, making him the first life-member of this organization in Utah. Freed was a life member of the Actor"s Fund of America and established the Lagoon Opera House as a part of his commitment to theater. In addition, Freed was a member of the Alumni Board of the University of Utah, the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and the University Club.