NEWSLETTER
A Community Built Along the Water
The story of Black life on Long Island’s East End encompasses generations of free and enslaved Africans, who worked, lived, and set roots in the area throughout the 18th and 19th centuries alongside Native Americans and European immigrants, and entered a new chapter in the 20th century with the emergence of the communities that would give rise to the term “Black Hamptons.”
In the earlier part of the 20th century, classical singer Daisy Tapley, who was the first African American woman to be recorded commercially, entertained notable guests, including composer Harry T. Burleigh and tenor Roland Hayes in her summer home in Sag Harbor before her death in 1925.
In 1947, Brooklyn schoolteacher Maude Terry envisioned creating a summer community where Black families could own homes near the water. Working alongside her sister, Amaza Lee Meredith, who was one of the first female Black architects, she helped establish a subdivision known as Azurest.
Image Courtesy of Preservation Long Island
At a time when segregation, redlining, and discriminatory housing practices made it difficult for Black families to buy property, Sag Harbor had become a place where African American families could purchase land and build something of their own along the waterfront.
Soon, neighboring communities, including Sag Harbor Hills, Ninevah Beach, Chatfield’s Hill, and Hillcrest Terrace followed. Together, these seaside neighborhoods formed the foundation of what would become the Black Hamptons.
Black educators, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals built thoughtfully designed summer homes for their families, many of which still stand today. Over time, more than 300 Black families purchased homes in the area, creating a thriving summer community where people could gather for beach days, entertaining, and long evenings by the water.
By the mid-20th century, Sag Harbor had become a cultural gathering place for prominent Black artists, intellectuals, civic leaders, entertainers, and professionals. Icons such as Lena Horne, Harry Belafonte, Langston Hughes, and Duke Ellington spent time here, helping shape the community’s reputation as a vibrant summer destination.
