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I have worked with Brenda on a number of different projects over the last few years. Mostly pertaining to highlighting the story of Pyrrhus Concer, one of Southampton's most important historical figures. You can read more about him here.
But another important figure to Southampton, is Brenda herself. She has been a fixture of the community her whole life and now as the Executive Director of the Southampton African American Museum is establishing a long lasting legacy. We wanted to take sometime to show some recognition for Brenda and all of the hard work she has done and is continuing to do. 2021 will be the year that hopefully the Southampton African American Museum can welcome guests in person, and I for one and very excited.
Below are two videos with Brenda showcasing her life and the work she does in our community.
Growing Up in Southampton:
A Black Woman's Perspective with Brenda Simmons
This first video is a recording of a talk Brenda gave co-sponsored with us and the Rogers Memorial Library in late 2020. For those of you who did not get a chance to see this yet, it is a great opportunity to see Southampton through a different perspective. She talks about her family and how they came to Southampton beginning in the 1940 and gets into her energetic drive for educating schoolchildren and developing historic landmarks in Southampton makes her a local treasure.
Beware of one very graphic photo at 5:04 that sums up how racism affected African Americans everywhere.
Voices of Wisdom
Leon Goodman
This next video is of an interview Brenda conducted with Leon Goodman who in 2020 conducted a peaceful protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement by walking the entire length of Long Island. It's a fantastic talk highlighting one man's quest for seeking a positive change in the world.