Biography
Freed, Harry (family name Froimovich); b. August 28, 1901, Ukraine; Naturalized 1921, Supreme Court Brooklyn, NY; Ukrainian American; Jewish; Youngest of 7 children, mother Hannah Chone; Father died when he was 3 years old; Older brothers emigrated and later brought the rest of the family; Grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; Attended Boys HS but left to work at 14; Single, Garment Worker, Salesman, and Laundry Driver (Trade Unity League L -TULL); Unemployed at the start of the depression, became a leader in the unemployed councils; CP; Received Passport# 367440 on February 15, 1937 which listed his address as 450 East 81st Street, NYC; Sailed March 10, 1937 aboard the Washington; Returned to NY aboard the Berengaria on November 23, 1937; Returned on Passport 329 Paris series issued November 15, 1937 which listed his address as 1437 York Avenue, NYC; Also aboard the ship were Joe Gordon, Herbert Hutner, and William White; d. July 12, 1986.Siblings: brother Jacobo Jose Froimovich, sister Sylvia Salzman (1901-1977) (total of 7 children).
Sources: Sail; Scope of Soviet Activity; Harriman; L-W Tree Ancestry.
Harry Freed Interview, ALBA V 48-045, April 14, 1986, Manny Harriman Video Oral History Collection; ALBA VIDEO 048; box number 4; folder number 23; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Photograph: Harry Freed, Still from Manny Harriman Interview.