Keats Begay facts for kids

Keats Begay (born May 17, 1923 – died January 5, 1987) was a talented Navajo and American painter. He lived in Chinle, Arizona and was active in the late 1930s. Keats Begay's art has been shown in many places across the country, including the famous National Gallery of Art. He was known for his bright, flat-style paintings.

His artwork is kept in important collections. These include the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, the Museum of Northern Arizona, the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, and the Museum of New Mexico.

Keats Begay: A Talented Navajo Artist

Keats Begay learned his art skills at the Santa Fe Indian School. His paintings often showed colorful landscapes in a special, artistic way. He also painted scenes from everyday life. Sometimes, he added symbols and designs from Navajo sandpainting into his art. This made his work unique and meaningful.

A Champion Runner and Brave Soldier

Beyond his art, Keats Begay was also a gifted athlete. He was a long-distance runner and even won a state championship.

Begay also served his country during World War II in the United States Armed Forces. He faced incredible challenges during this time. In April 1942, he survived the very difficult Bataan Death March. After this, he spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war in Japan. Begay once said that his experience on the Bataan Death March felt similar to the Long Walk of the Navajo from 1864. The Long Walk was a time when the Navajo people were forced to move to a reservation.