The Highwaymen

Chronicling the achievements of a collection of virtually untrained Florida African-American painters who fought the segregationist mores prohibiting the exhibition of their works by selling art on streets and highways, The Highwaymen paints an interesting portrait of a lesser-known piece of American history, examining the lives of founding fathers Harold Newton, A.E. “Beans” Bacchus (a white artist who mentored many of the Highwaymen) and Alfred Hair. In the late 1950s, Hair inspired a thrifty artistic venture, using economical materials (Upsom board instead of canvas, for instance) and recruiting friends to help publicize and sell the works of more than two dozen artists, whose subjects were often colorful, mesmerizing illustrations of beautiful Florida landscapes. Combining interviews (of artists, collectors, art dealers, art teachers, and the lone female "highwayman" M.A. Carroll) with archival footage, and lots of terrific artwork, the program also looks at the renewed interest in the work of the Highwaymen, whose paintings today not only reside in museums, but also command five-digit prices--a substantial increase from the original going rate of $35 apiece. A unique portrait of a largely unfamiliar though triumphal story of art, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Williams)