Southampton African American Museum Founder and Executive Director Brenda Simmons has been awarded the Anne Ackerson Innovation in Leadership Award for the Museum Association of New York’s MANY 2022 Award of Merit.
The review committee was impressed by Simmons’s incredible dedication, commitment, and leadership at the Southampton African American Museum as well as a glowing recommendation from New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele.
“I have had the pleasure of knowing Brenda on both a personal and professional basis for many years. As the co-founder and executive director of the Southampton African American Museum, Brenda has faced many challenges throughout several years to make the museum a reality for our East End community. Despite the many roadblocks she encountered on her mission to transform an old barber shop into a historic museum, it finally became a reality in June 2021,” wrote Thiele.
Simmons will be presented this award as part of the Museum Association of New York’s 2022 conference “Envisioning Our Museums for the Seventh Generation.” The award ceremony will take place at noon on Monday, April 11, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Corning. Visit @nysmuseums for more information.