Celebrating Black History Month
Portraits of the Highwaymen
February 5 – 29, 2025
In celebration of Black History Month, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County will present the exhibition Portraits of the Highwaymen, which will explore the original Highwaymen artists and their impact on Florida landscape painting. The Highwaymen included 26 African American artists, primarily based in Fort Pierce, Florida, who rose to prominence in the mid-1950s. Their distinctive landscapes, often sold door-to-door or from car trunks along Florida’s coastal roads, totaled over 200,000 paintings. Despite facing rejection from galleries and navigating the racial tensions of the Jim Crow era, they achieved remarkable success and inspired future generations of African Americans to pursue their craft.