UWF Historic Trust to host acclaimed author for presentation on The Highwaymen
The University of West Florida Historic Trust will host guest speaker Gary Monroe to present on “The Highwaymen: Florida’s African-American Landscape Painters” on Friday, Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at Voices of Pensacola presented by Gulf Power. This event is part of the traveling exhibit, “Against All Odds: The Art of the Highwaymen,” which will be available at Voices of Pensacola through Dec. 28.
Monroe’s presentation relates the story of the now-acclaimed group of 26 African-American artists who taught themselves to paint idyllic versions of the Florida landscape and sell their creations door-to-door during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
He has also shared the story of the Highwaymen and offered fresh interpretations of their art through several published works, including The Highwaymen: Florida’s African-American Landscape Painters, Harold Newton: The Original Highwayman, and The Highwaymen Murals: Al Black’s Concrete Dreams. He has written other books about Florida art, as well, including Extraordinary Interpretations: Self-Taught Florida Artists, Silver Springs: The Underwater Photographs of Bruce Mozert, and Florida’s American Heritage River: Images from the St. Johns Region.
Monroe’s photography and literary works have been recognized by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Humanities Council, and the Fulbright Foundation. His long-term photography projects include Miami’s old-world Jewish community, Haiti and Haitian immigration and tourism in the Sunshine State.
This event is free and open to the public. The “Against the Odds: The Art of the Highwaymen” exhibit is located on the first floor of Voices of Pensacola, and is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For additional information about Gary Monroe, visit garymonroe.net. To learn more about the Against the Odds exhibit, visit historicpensacola.org.
