Jersey Shore Magazine

j e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 2 3 49 family to a home in Red Bank he called "Maple Hall" on what was then known as Beech Street. He and his wife entertained many influen- tial African American leaders at the home, including Washington, where they lived until 1911. Fortune died in 1928 at the age of seventy-one in Philadelphia. James Vaccarelli purchased the Beech Street home after the Fortune family left in 1911, and the Vaccarelli family operated a bakery on the site for many years. Because of its con- nection to T. Thomas Fortune, the structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and named a National Historical Landmark in 1976. It was also placed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in August 1979. Vaccarelli family descendants occupied the home until 2006, when it was left vacant. Despite being only one of two National Historic Landmarks in New Jersey devoted to African American heritage, years of neglect, water dam- age, and vandalism led the building to fall into such disrepair that it became unsafe and uninhabitable. Rogers is a first-hand witness of the building's rise from utter despair to renewed splendor as she spear- headed efforts to save the building when it physically deteriorated. She led a group of like-minded local citi- zens, who also recognized the historic significance of the site, to rally and try to preserve Fortune's legacy. After reading about the building's situation in a New York Times article, Roger Mumford of Roger Mumford Homes saved the structure from the wrecking ball by purchasing the prop- erty for $925,000 in 2017. "He heard our call," Rogers said, "and if he didn't step in when he did, the house would have fallen down." Mumford then undertook the massive task of restoring the building and bringing it back to its archi- tectural glory. Efforts were made to salvage as much from the original structure as possible during its reha- bilitation. "The bricks were crum- bling," Rogers said, "so those that could be removed intact became the steps to get into the front door." After renovations were completed, Mumford donated the building back to the T. Thomas Fortune Foundation and Cultural Center for $1. "He used his expertise to create something magnificent," Rogers said. The Center officially opened in May 2019. Long before the structure's refur- bishment, Beech Street was renamed Bergen Street and then Drs. James Parker Boulevard in 2002 in honor of three African American physicians who served the Red Bank community for eighty years: Dr. James W. Parker, Sr.; his son, Dr. James W. Parker, Jr.; and the elder Parker's nephew, dentist Dr. James A. Parker. The Center's second floor features a mul- tifunctional open space with expertly curated exhibits and is titled the Drs. James Parker Legacy Room, which pays homage to the Parker Family's rich Red Bank history while providing visitors with a deeper story of local African American history. The Caroline Charlotte "Carrie" Fortune Research Library is also on the Center's second floor and offers an extensive collection of resources designed to educate about Fortune and others who advocated for equali- ty and justice as well as local history. The collection includes anthologies, art, music, biographies and auto- biographies, fiction, plays, poetry, children's books, and other research materials. A gift shop featuring artwork, books, jewelry, cards, and more is on the Center's first floor between two exhibit rooms. continued on page 50 "Social Justice Crusaders – Past, Present, Future," mixed media collage by Lavett Ballard. The nationally respected artist was commissioned by the Center to create a unique artistic expression that represents Fortune, his social justice legacy, and others who have paved the way. Jill Ocone

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