His father was a Jewish immigrant who had come to Texas by way of England and his mother was a Texas native of Jewish and Anglo descent. Freeman was born in Houston, Texas and attended public schools before earning his way through the University of Texas School of Law.
After graduating from law school, he married and returned to Houston, where he began his law career, initially working for the federal government. He worked for the Civil Works Administration and later for the National Recovery Administration. He and his brother established Freeman & Freeman in 1934, the first African-American owned law firm in Houston.
Besides being a lawyer, Freeman was also active in civil rights and politics. He was a long-time leader in the Houston chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He served as the group's president in the 1940s. Freeman led successful campaigns to get African-Americans the right to vote in certain Democratic Party primary races in Houston.
He also served as president of the Houston Citizens' Association and as a member of the Houston Housing Authority. He also represented the city on the federal Fair Employment Practices Commission. Additionally, Freeman was a leading opponent to Houston's segregated "Negro Hospital."
Freeman is still remembered as an influential figure in the development of the African-American community in Houston and as a trailblazing civil rights lawyer.