Palmer Hayden was born Peyton Hedgeman in Wide Water, VA in 1890. His name change came courtesy of a commanding sergeant during World War I. Palmer, who later became a well-known Harlem Renaissance painter, was one of the first artists in America to show African subjects and designs in his paintings. With grant money and a patron's support, Palmer studied in Paris in the late '20s. When he came back in the 30s, he worked several different jobs for the U.S. government. His later-in-life paintings focused on the African-experience, with scenes from both the rural south and bustling New York City. He died in 1973.