ed ▁to ▁military ▁conflict . ▁President ▁Franklin ▁D . ▁Ro ose vel t ▁used ▁the ▁Black ▁Tom ▁explos ion ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁r ationale ▁for ▁the ▁intern ment ▁of ▁Japanese - Amer icans ▁following ▁the ▁attack ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁incident ▁also ▁influenced ▁public ▁safety ▁legisl ation . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁sab ot age ▁techniques ▁used ▁by ▁Germany , ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁declaration ▁of ▁war ▁on ▁Germany , ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Esp ion age ▁Act ▁passed ▁by ▁con gress ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Land fill ▁projects ▁later ▁made ▁Black ▁Tom ▁Island ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁main land , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁Liber ty ▁State ▁Park . ▁The ▁former ▁Black ▁Tom ▁Island ▁is ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁Morris ▁P es in ▁Drive ▁in ▁the ▁sout he astern ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁park , ▁where ▁a ▁pla que ▁marks ▁the ▁spot ▁of ▁the ▁explos ion . ▁A ▁circle ▁of ▁U . S . ▁flags ▁comple ments ▁the ▁pla que , ▁which ▁stands ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁visitors ' ▁center . ▁ ▁The ▁ins cription ▁on ▁the ▁pla que ▁reads : ▁Ex pl os ion ▁at ▁Liber ty ! ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁the ▁Black ▁Tom ▁m un itions ▁dep ot ▁expl oded ▁rock ing ▁New ▁York ▁Har bor ▁and ▁sending ▁residents ▁t umb ling ▁from ▁their ▁b eds . ▁ ▁The ▁noise ▁of ▁the ▁explos