A Guiding Star

A Guiding Star

Any project of note or significance almost invariably starts with a single vision. And to turn that concept into reality is usually a team effort, but it almost always requires a solitary figure with the grit and determination to actually make sure the work gets done.

For the planned Southampton African American Museum on North Sea Road in Southampton Village, both that vision and its driving force come squarely from its executive director, Brenda Simmons.

For Ms. Simmons, a recently retired municipal worker who spent three decades working in various capacities for the county and Southampton Village, getting the museum from the drawing board to the work site has been nothing short of an exercise in both patience and humility.

Construction of the museum, at the site of the former Randy’s Barber Shop — which was granted landmark status in 2010, and which is widely recognized as a treasured gathering place for African-Americans in the early 20th century — has been plagued by roadblocks and delays since it was first conceived of more than a decade ago.

The building, once owned by former barber Randy Conquest, was purchased jointly by Southampton Town and the village in 2006, using Community Preservation Fund revenues. Since then, Ms. Simmons has faced a number of uphill battles, most recently when the contractor restoring the building was charged with falsifying documents for a separate project, the restoration of the Pyrrhus Concer house, leaving both projects dead in the water until another contractor can be hired.

The museum was supposed to be complete and opened last month, but now it looks like next spring is a better bet.

The constant delays would be enough to shake the resolve of almost anyone. But Ms. Simmons has stood tall, unwavering as she keeps pushing forward, striving to see the project to its completion. Her determination should be an example to the entire community, and is perhaps emblematic of exactly what the museum will come to stand for, in the end.

It’s time to get the project finished. Town officials, who are always eager to lend a word of support, must now emulate Ms. Simmons’s resolve and move swiftly to complete the long-overdue project and open the museum’s doors to a public thirsty for the lessons that will be shared there. It’s one woman’s vision, and passion, but it’s a job that requires more hands to get done.