Robert W. Lee, Sr., a former Fanwood and Scotch Plains resident, was the second eldest child of William and Alma Lee. Mr. Lee was educated in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school system, graduating in 1951. He attended the John Jay College of Criminal Justice as well as Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he took courses in Sociology, public and police administration.
Besides being a long-time member of St. John’s Baptist Church, he was the first African-American Police officer in Scotch Plains. He also was the first African-American to handle homicides and child abuse cases for the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and the first African-American to be appointed to the position of lieutenant of investigators for the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Lee was the first African-American to run for Sheriff of Union County in1971, which was followed up by his being the first African-American to be named acting deputy commissioner for the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
Mr. Lee later became the deputy commissioner, then acting commissioner of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission. He was founder and president of the International Boxing Federation (IBF), becoming the first African-American president of any internationally recognized sport in the world. While achieving this distinction, Mr. Lee also presided over and was president of the United States Boxing Association.
He was inducted into the New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fames for achievements.
In the political arena, Mr. Lee was a candidate for Union County Freeholder in 1973; president of Union County Afro-American Republicans from 1973-1977, and served as a member of New Jersey Black Republican Council from 1974-1977.
Mr. Lee died in 2024.