FREEHOLD – As part of its Historically Speaking lecture series, Monmouth County Historical Association will host speaker David Martin at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, at the Court Street School at 140 Court St.
Martin’s speech, which is free and open to the public, is being held in conjunction with the association’s activities during the Civil War Encampment weekend, being held at the museum and library grounds at 70 Court St.
Martin is the author of more than 25 books on the Civil War and American Revolution, including the award-winning Gettysburg July 1, A Molly Pitcher Sourcebook, and most recently New Jersey at Gettysburg Guidebook. He is vice president of the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association, sponsors of the state’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, and was a member of the state’s Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
Martin is currently working on a book of biographies of New Jersey’s generals and admirals in the Civil War, which is the basis for his talk for the Monmouth County Historical Association.
The Court Street School is one of the principal structures associated with the segregated history of early 20th century education in Freehold. The original school was organized in 1915 in a one-room wooden building, exclusively for the education of African-American children. The existing brick building was constructed in two phases in 1920 and 1926. All African-American children in Freehold were educated here from kindergarten through 8th grade until World War II when it was used as an air raid shelter and ration station. It was reopened as an integrated school for K-3 grades in 1949 until it closed in 1974. It became a community education and historical center in 1990 and was placed in 1995 on the National Register of Historic Sites.
The Civil War Encampment weekend will be held Sept. 22-23. The public will be welcome to tour the encampment between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sept. 22 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 23. Tours of the current exhibition, Marching Away: Monmouth in the Civil War, will also be offered inside the museum. Additional information is available by calling 732-462-1466.
The Court Street School is accessible to people with disabilities. If there are any special needs that require accommodation, please contact the Association at 732-462-1466, Ext.16 within 24 hours of the presentation.
