(photo credit Patrick McMullan)
The Southampton African American Museum(SAAM) held a summer party chaired by New York philanthropist, author, and TV host Jean Shafiroff, and her husband, Martin Shafiroff, along with Aisha Christian & Michael Steifman in Southampton, NY followed by a post-reception dinner. The event was the official launch of the museum’s Founder’s Campaign to support its operations and endowment. The museum, a former Black barber shop opened on June 19, 2021, and is the first African American designated landmark in the Village of Southampton. Corporate sponsors included Bloomberg Philanthropies, Weight Watchers and Jet Blue and a silent auction that included Melissa Kaye Jewelry.
Among the many notable guests were: Jean Shafiroff, Martin Shafiroff, Aisha Christian, Michael Steifman, Exective Director – Brenda Simmons, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, Susan L. Taylor, Loida Lewis, Kherpra Burns, Marilyn Crawford, Elizabeth Shafiroff, Richard Ballard, Greg D’Elia, Dan Gasby, Karen Phillips, Charles Phillips, Anita Farrington, Susan Cushing, Angie Samii, Siamak Samii, Tish Collette, Michael Henry Admans, Bill Pickens, James Banks, Nancy Stevens-Smith, Brenda Stuart-Luke and Stephanie Hill.
Jean Shafiroff and Aisha Christian greeted early arrivals including Susan Davenport Austin, now Chief Financial Officer of the Grace Church School, and her husband, Wallace Foundation Corporate Counsel Kenneth W. Austin, who reminisced about his family’s multi-generational history in East Hampton. A museum tour preceding the benefit was led by executive director and co-founder Brenda Simmons.