Local American Heroes of Color Defending our Nation
A Black History Month Presentation
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 5 PM
Lower Level Tarzian Media Room
Belmar Public Library
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Local American Heroes of Color Defending Our Nation
February 7 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Featuring
Fred Carl
Founder, InfoAge Science Center
Throughout the 20th Century many Americans of Color lived in the Belmar region and worked in secrecy at Camp Evans, site of the current InfoAge Science Center, as part of the US Defense Department’s efforts to defend our nation from threats and dangers from WWII through the Cold War.
Due to the nature of their work for the US Government, they lived lives of secrecy and low profiles, with little general recognition for their efforts…until now.
Fred Carl, a founder of the InfoAge Science Center of Wall, NJ, tells the stories of Belmar Region Patriotic Americans of Color who worked in secrecy in the defense of our nation. He will speak of the projects and accomplishments they achieved, their impact on our society and their contributions to the local community.
Fred Carl was born and raised in Monmouth County. He received his B.S. in Science Education and his M.S. in Computer Science from Monmouth University. He also has Teaching Certificates in Comprehensive Science and Computer Science.
Carl began the effort to save Camp Evans by transforming it into a Science Education Center in March of 1993 when its closing under the U.S. Army’s 1993 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) was announced. An article in the Asbury Park Press carried the headline “Evans Likely to Fade in Oblivion”. With the backing of Wall Township he did research into the creation of science centers using the resources of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. He presented a plan to the Town which was included in the Marconi Park Reuse plan in 1995.
Over the years he has visited over 25 centers to see their operation first hand. Reaching out to organizations with technology education and historic preservation programs he built a consortium dedicated to preserving Camp Evans as a Science Center. In 1998 the group incorporated as a not-for-profit named the Information Age Learning Center trading as the InfoAge Science History Center.
As the Wall Township historian Carl researched into the history of Camp Evans using existing works and materials found in the National Archives, Fort Monmouth, Stanford University, Princeton University and the Smithsonian Institution. He nominated and successfully defended an application to create a 37 acre Camp Evans Historic District and have it added the National Register of Historic Places. Once on the Register a complex application to the Historic Surplus Property Program was prepared. One approved by the National Park Service it paved the way for the transfer of the historic district to Wall Township for the preservation of the site and the creation of the InfoAge Science History Center.
In 2006 Carl was honored with the Russel Berrie Award for “Making a Difference” and, due to his efforts, Wall was given the distinction of being named New Jersey’s first “Preserve America Community” by Mrs. Laura Bush.