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Sag Harbor Express / Editorials / 2351060

A Deeply Felt Loss

Editorial Board on Apr 16, 2025

Gladys Barnes, an early resident of the historically Black SANS communities — the Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest and Ninevah Beach subdivisions in Sag Harbor — made a monumental impact during her 96 years on Earth.

When she died last month at her home in Ninevah, Sag Harbor mourned a towering figure in the local cultural and arts scene and one of the people who forged the bonds that make a community a vibrant, welcoming place.

Barnes and others lost in recent years have left a legacy in Sag Harbor that is deeply appreciated by those who will continue to enjoy it for years to come.

Preserving that legacy now falls on those who remain. Fortunately, Barnes left a road map to follow. Supporting the arts to enrich lives, recording and honoring history, and looking out for neighbors like they are family are a few of the ways Barnes set an example to live up to.

These practices and principles make the difference between a resort destination and a cohesive community. They are why so many adults today look back fondly on their childhood summers spent in Sag Harbor, and they’re what future generations are owed.

As Barnes’s daughter, Donnamarie Barnes, recently observed: “The community’s recognition as historically Black with decades-old roots, my mother and her friends were creators of that legacy. They never thought of it that way, but looking at it now, I think it’s important to recognize it as a cultural legacy.”

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