Richard Bruce Carter, II (1890–1970)

Born on April 17, 1890, in Amherst County, Virginia, Richard Bruce Carter II came into the world during a time of profound transformation for African Americans. His early life was shaped by loss, his mother, Sarah Colston Carter, died when he was just a year old, and by a determined pursuit of opportunity beyond the boundaries of rural life in Jim Crow Virginia. He does not appear in his father’s household during the 1900 or 1910 U.S. Census, and family history suggests he may have been attending St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia, a boarding school founded by Episcopal educator James Solomon Russell to uplift African American youth through faith, industry, and academic rigor. St. Paul’s operated year-round and served as a launchpad for promising students seeking higher education and professional careers.

From St. Paul’s, Richard advanced to Howard University in Washington, D.C., one of the most prestigious historically Black universities in the country. There, he pursued liberal studies and began charting his path in the health sciences. He was initiated as an early member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the nation’s first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity for African American men. Richard later enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, where he studied pharmacology and became part of the university’s growing network of African American students preparing for careers in medicine and pharmacy. A 1916 yearbook photo, his formal portrait as a pharmacy student, remains one of the few surviving images from this formative period in his life, symbolizing the academic excellence and quiet confidence that would define his career. His peers clearly recognized his drive and leadership potential, since he was noted as a prospect for honors and respected for his seriousness of purpose.

Within a year, Richard relocated to Asbury Park, New Jersey, where he began working as a pharmacist at Coleman’s Pharmacy, a local drugstore on Cookman Avenue & Kingsley Street. He registered for the World War I draft in 1917, noting his employment there and listing himself as single. It was during this time that he met Betty A. Bunce, a bright and compassionate young woman from Southampton, New York. Their relationship blossomed, and on June 13, 1919, they received their marriage license in Manhattan, New York City, marking the beginning of a partnership rooted in service, intellect, and shared ambition.

By 1920, Richard and Betty were living in Montclair, New Jersey, boarding in the household of William S. Rice. Richard was working as a druggist, and Betty, eight months pregnant, was preparing to give birth to their first child, Richard B. Carter III, who arrived the following month. Their home, like many for young African American families at the time, was shared with others, reflecting both economic realities and communal strength. In 1923, Richard and his sister-in-law, Alice E. Bunce, a pioneering African American woman pharmacist, opened Bunce & Carter Pharmacy on Springwood Avenue in Asbury Park. The business quickly became a cornerstone of the local Black community, offering not just prescriptions, but care, trust, and dignity. Richard was more than a pharmacist; he was a healer, advisor, and business owner who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of his neighbors.

By the 1930s and 1940s, Richard was well established in Asbury Park. He completed worked independently for 52 consecutive weeks the previous year and became affectionately known as “Doctor Carter” in the neighborhood. He worked 60-hour weeks well into his later years and mentored aspiring pharmacists and students interested in science and medicine. Tragically, in 1970, Bunce & Carter Pharmacy was destroyed during a wave of looting along Springwood Avenue. The loss of the business devastated both Richard and Alice. She passed away in July 1970, and Richard died just four months later, on November 15, 1970, at the age of 80. His beloved wife Betty A. Bunce Carter survived him, carrying forward the memory of their shared life and legacy.

Throughout his lifetime, Richard B. Carter II was more than a pharmacist, he was a community leader, civic steward, and advocate for youth, public service, and professional advancement. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War I, serving his country with distinction before continuing that service in civilian life. In Asbury Park, he became past commander of the Frederick Dempsey Post 266 of the American Legion, where he mentored younger veterans and upheld the values of discipline, duty, and brotherhood.

His commitment to youth development was reflected in his involvement with the Monmouth Council of the Boy Scouts of America, while his dedication to civic life led him to serve on the Board of Directors of the West Side Community Center, a cornerstone of support for African American residents in Asbury Park. He was also a proud member of the Monmouth County Men’s Club, a group known for advancing community service and leadership among local Black professionals.

Professionally, Richard was a respected figure in his field. He was active in the Pharmaceutical Association of Monmouth County and a long-time member of the Monmouth and Ocean County Pharmaceutical Society, where he collaborated with fellow pharmacists and helped shape the standards of care and ethics in the industry. Even late in life, he remained deeply engaged, working long hours and mentoring others who would follow in his footsteps.

Tragically, in 1970, Bunce & Carter Pharmacy was destroyed during a wave of looting along Springwood Avenue. The loss of the business devastated both Richard and Alice. She passed away in July 1970, and Richard died just four months later, on November 15, 1970, at the age of 80. His beloved wife, Betty A. Bunce Carter, survived him, carrying forward his memory and the legacy they built together over more than five decades.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16