In a local Florida antique mall, my husband and I were struck by a scenic painting that captures the beauty of the Florida coastline. Then we noticed another, and another. The clerk explained to us that these mid-century paintings were the work of a group of artists known as the Florida Highwaymen. In Chicago, we've met individual street artists, but this was the first time we'd ever heard about this group of Florida men and women who left behind a legacy of landscapes. This group of 26 self-taught, African American men (and at least one woman) sold their paintings on the side of highways in Florida in the 1950s. At the time, collectors paid $20 to $40 per painting. Today, some are valued in the thousands of dollars, and the prices continue to rise for the originals. Not only are the paintings beautiful, but they show their ingenuity, resilience, and remarkable talent. A few more facts from this helpful website: They painted on Upson board (compressed paper),...