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It's All About Community
The Florida Highwaymen and Their Fort Pierce Legacy
Petition to Name a Road in Honor of the Florida Highwaymen
Updated May 2026 — Cultural Heritage Feature
The Florida Highwaymen were a collective of self‑taught Black artists whose vivid, roadside landscape paintings helped define the visual identity of the Treasure Coast. Their work is now recognized as a major chapter of American cultural heritage, rooted in Fort Pierce and shaped by the region’s history and environment.
They are one of the most important cultural legacies ever to come out of the Treasure Coast.
They painted our skies, our rivers, our storms, our royal poincianas — and they did it during a time when Black artists were shut out of galleries and opportunity.
Their story began in Fort Pierce.
Yet today, no city in Florida has a road named after them.
It’s time to change that.
- Created more than 200,000 paintings of Florida’s natural landscape
- Sold their work door‑to‑door along U.S. 1 during segregation
- Helped define the look of mid‑century Florida
- Were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame
- Lived, worked, and are buried in Fort Pierce
A roadway designation is more than a sign — it’s a permanent, public acknowledgment of their contribution to Florida’s history and culture.
🔶 What We’re Asking For
We are calling on the City of Fort Pierce to designate or rename a roadway segment as:
🔶 Fort Pierce is the birthplace of the Highwaymen movement. It is home to:
- The Highwaymen Heritage Trail
- The Highwaymen Heritage Museum
- The Highwaymen Heritage Trail
- The Highwaymen Heritage Trail Festival
- The artists’ homes, painting sites, and final resting places
No other city in Florida carries this history.
👉 Sign the petition here:
Your signature shows local leaders that the community supports honoring the Highwaymen with a roadway designation.
🔶Share This With Your Friends! Sharing is Caring. 💛💜
Every share helps build momentum.
The Highwaymen captured the Treasure Coast before development changed it forever. A road in their honor ensures their story remains visible — not just in museums, but in the everyday life of the community they helped shape.
Read more about the Florida Highwaymen including,
- Alfred Hair
- Harold Newton
- Mary Ann Carroll
- and A. E. Backus, their mentor here →
The Petition
They challenged the status quo, creating vibrant landscapes that captured the natural beauty of Florida and became iconic representations of our state’s lush environment.
Many sold their paintings along roadsides, in parking lots, from car trunks, and door‑to‑door, building a legacy that has since gained national recognition. Despite the racial discrimination they faced, they persevered, and their work now holds a significant place in American art history. They have been called “The Last Great American Art Movement of the 20th Century.”
Their story began right here in Fort Pierce. Yet today, no city in Florida has a road named after them.
It’s time to change that.
Naming a road in Fort Pierce after the Highwaymen would not only honor their artistic contribution but also celebrate their courage and resilience in the face of adversity. It would stand as a powerful reminder of how art can be a vehicle for change, bridging communities and generations together.
A roadway designation would stand alongside these cultural assets as a permanent, public acknowledgment of the Highwaymen’s legacy. Please join me in calling for this enduring tribute to the Florida Highwaymen and their tremendous contributions to our cultural tapestry. Sign this petition to make this vision a reality. Together, we can ensure that the legacy of the Florida Highwaymen continues to inspire and resonate throughout our communities.
Many Thanks,