The Southampton African American Musuem (SAAM)

Affectionally called “The Barbershop," what is now SAAM was a local gathering place for area African Americans from the 1940s until its closing. In 2010. The Village Historic Preservation Board designated it as the first African American historic landmark in the Village of Southampton, and now it is a permanent space that celebrates Southampton’s rich diverse past, by broadening the understanding and appreciation of African American culture. Between the 1940s and 1960s, juke joints were the heart and soul of the African American community — a place where people could eat, dance and unwind after long, tough days of labor. Arthur “Fives” Robinson and Emanuel Seymore created a cherished juke joint where laborers from local potato farms and domestic workers and the community gathered to lift their spirits. Next to “The Barbershop” (and beauty parlor) Fives became a weekend refuge, famous for its ham hock and beans and its soul-stirring live music. To locals who where part of the Great Migration this was their safe haven. On a typical Saturday night, the line up included soloist Sylvia Francis “Snooks”Smith, the “suit sweating, rhythmic, hip curling, back jerking vocals” of Little Curtis (Curtis Highsmith Sr.) and the Big Men, as well as many other local performers. A good time was had by all.