From The Street Corner To The Smithsonian

The Highwaymen, Florida’s Landscape Artists

Known as Florida’s legendary Black landscape artists, the Florida Highwaymen emerged in the 1950s in the agricultural communities of Fort Pierce and Gifford, Florida. The group of young painters, which grew to include 25 men and one woman, became known as The Highwaymen. They were prolific painters, who sold their artwork from the trunks of their cars during the post-World War II boom because they were unable to exhibit through traditional means due to the color of their skin. While making ends meet, they also made a significant contribution to the genre of Florida landscape painting.

The exhibit is on loan from Roger Lightle, a Highwaymen art collector and owner of the Highwaymen Art Specialists, Inc. in Vero Beach, Florida. Since the late 1990s, Lightle has collected approximately 700 Highwaymen paintings, amassing one of the most relevant collections of the genre.

Lectures and tours of the Florida Highwaymen exhibit will be offered on Tuesday, February 13th, 2024 at 10 a.m. , 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. beginning in Commission Chambers. Each session will be approximately 60 minutes with Roger Lightle leading the lectures.

Plan Your Visit

The exhibit is free and open to the public during City Hall hours, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. excluding City-observed holidays.

Lectures and tours of the Florida Highwaymen exhibit will be offered on Tuesday, February 13th, 2024 at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. beginning in Commission Chambers. Each session will be approximately 60 minutes with Roger Lightle leading the lectures.

The City Hall Cultural Heritage Exhibit launched in November 2022 to beautify the City Hall lobby while sharing Sarasota and Florida’s rich history in arts and culture. Pieces are on a 6-month rotation. Previous exhibitors include the Arts Advocates, Circus Arts Conservatory, The Sarasota Architecture Center and the Sarasota County History Center archive. Learn more about the City Hall Cultural Heritage Exhibit by clicking here.

For questions regarding the exhibit or for additional information, please email publicart@sarasotafl.gov.

Florida Highwaymen Educational Videos