Proud history worth saving
After World War II, subdivisions in Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest and Ninevah Beach became a retreat for African Americans. The welcome sign above is seen on May 12. Credit: Anthony J. Causi
A worthy segment of Long Island is up for national historical recognition.
The Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest and Ninevah Beach Subdivisions historic district, known as SANS, were listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places in March, and the state has now nominated SANS to be included on the national register, the federal government’s official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.
There’s plenty of reason for this eastern portion of Sag Harbor to get the nod. For decades, the neighborhoods have been places of escape and refuge for African American families looking to enjoy summer and the beach.
The state’s nomination identifies the SANS period of significance as starting in 1947, a time of widespread housing discrimination. Yet black residents were able to build a seasonal shelter in this regrettable era of Jim Crow.
The district was home to some remarkable residents. Two sisters, Maude Terry and Amaza Lee Meredith, helped nurture it into existence. Meredith was an early prominent black female architect.
The beaches themselves were launching pads for the civil rights movement, with residents congregating and meeting and planning bus travel to the March on Washington and raising funds in Azurest just before the march, according to the state’s nomination document for SANS.
A listing on the National Register of Historic Places doesn’t place restrictions on what nonfederal owners may do with their property, the National Park Service says. Instead, there are benefits for those who want them: NPS notes additional “credibility and energy” for preservation efforts, plus the possibility for preservation grants.
The history here is worth honoring, and we hope the federal government agrees. — The editorial board
