The name The Hamptons brings to mind images of a specific type of lifestyle — one that’s undoubtedly associated with whiteness. But there’s also a rich history of African-American culture on the East End of Long Island. In the Jim Crow era, Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest, and Ninevah — now collectively known as the SANS Historic District — served as sanctuaries where Black people could socialize, at a time when they were forbidden to enter whites-only beaches and swimming pools.
And while the Black population of Suffolk County, home of the Hamptons, is just 9 percent, the African-American story has roots that are firmly planted in Long Island — from Emanuel Seymore, whose barbershop was a gathering place in the 1940s, to Langston Hughes, who recited poetry in Sag Harbor.
To learn more about the Black experience in the Hamptons today, visit these four standout Black-owned businesses and cultural centers.
Courtesy of Hidden Gem
Southampton African American Museum
For a look into the history of not only Black life in the Hamptons but Black culture in general, there are few better places than SAAM. The museum is dedicated to preserving the African-American story on Long Island through exhibits such as “Grooming a Generation,” a poignant look at the history of Black hair salons in the region.
Owners Tanya Willock and Temidra Willock-Morsch were born and raised in East Hampton but have roots on the island of Antigua, and their colorful, texture-rich home-goods store in Southampton reflects this Caribbean influence. Along with their own line of jewelry and accessories, the duo sources art and apparel from artisans around the world.
Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
This boutique in Bridgehampton was founded in 2007 by husband-and-wife team Jarret Willis,
a former model (and current real estate pro), and Hamptons local Crystal Smith Willis. The shop’s fashionable wares run the gamut from dresses by Ulla Johnson and Jonathan Simkhai to blazers and denim from the avant-garde label Ser-o-ya.
Miss Shanty
Although shanty is often used pejoratively, this Jamaican restaurant in the hamlet of Hampton Bays celebrates the term’s meaning as a homey place where people come together. The beef patties, curry goat, jerk chicken, and Ital dishes (traditional Jamaican vegan cuisine) will transport you to Kingston — for a meal, at least. 105 Montauk Hwy.; 631-440-2240.
A version of this story first appeared in the August 2023 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “Deep Roots.”