Harrison Begay, orHaskay Yahne Yah(Warrior Who Walked Up To His Enemy), to his knowledge, was born in 1914 approximately fourteen miles west of present-day Greasewood, Arizona, on the Navajo (Diné) Reservation at a place known as Whitecone. His date of birth is often cited as a few years later, however, there are no records and Harrison prefers the year 1914.

When he was a boy of seven years, his mother died and soon after that he was sent off to government boarding schools. As he grew older he decided to study art in Santa Fe where an art school was organized by the government in the early 1930s. From 1934 until about 1940 he attended this school under Dorothy Dunn. Following art school, Harrison attended college and then enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II. Serving under General Dwight Eisenhower, Harrison did not have much opportunity to pursue his painting. Soon after his discharge and return to Arizona he was able to begin once more his study of art. Then in the 1960s he again met General Eisenhower at the annual Ceremonials in Gallup, New Mexico. At that time Harrison presented General Eisenhower with one of his fine paintings which is in a permanent collection in Washington, D.C.

“Begay's paintings have exerted greater influence on Navajo artists than any other person. His work is internationally known.” 
—Snodgrass 1968.