A Biographical Sketch of An Artist - Harold A. Esannason
Harold A. Esannason is a fine arts Painter who received a scholarship to paint at the Museum Of Modern Art as a teenager. He is also an acclaimed Graphic designer who attended college to further his skills and, who has touched and influenced the art world as well as the African American community in many ways. In the late fifties/early sixties being drafted in the U.S. Army, he was singled out before the end of his basic training to become an outstanding classified Illustrator for the United States Army War College. Upon his discharge he became an illustrator for the City of New York Department of Health, and then moved on to become the Graphic Director for the City of New York Human Resources Administration under the Mayor, John Lindsay. At the same time he exhibited his paintings and sold his work in Harlem and Brooklyn galleries and famous eateries. He moved from the Bronx to Westchester County where he became associated with a community based African American organization in Mount Vernon named ACBAW. They collectively turned a store physically into a gallery with the help of local governmental grants and summer interns.
His passion for the world of skiing winning out, Harold left employment with the City of New York in the seventies to create what became one of the largest, if not the largest, African-American ski club and tour businesses in the world – Black International Leisure. Because of their popularity among skiers of all races in general they changed their name to International Leisure Ltd. to encompass everyone who wanted to enjoy the sport. He championed that career by literally exposing thousands of people to the sport by creating a Ski & Music Festivals in two French ski resorts as well as the most famous Swiss resort – St. Moritz in Switzerland. He furthered the groups skiing vacations by bringing the Festivals to Quebec, Canada where he transposed a Canadian ski resort totally into a Music Festival. Hundreds of people who couldn’t afford to travel to Europe enjoyed the Ski & Musical Festivals here on the east coast. Harold had a reputation of taking people to ski at famous first-class destinations all over the world where he literally became one of the ambassadors to the sport of skiing that before was not truly enjoyed by African Americans.
In the mid-eighties he returned to Graphic Design and began turning out exciting publications for many of the organizations, churches and businesses in New York City and here in Westchester County. In 1992 he created a proposal that he and his good friend Vinnie Bagwell submitted to the Yonkers branch of the NAACP to write and design a publication on the history of black folk in Yonkers, New York. He co-wrote with Vinnie Bagwell, which he also designed and published the well-documented publication “A Study Of African American Life In Yonkers From The Turn Of The Century”. This publication became a well sort-after book with orders coming from individuals and libraries across the country. In 1994 he was contacted by an organization that wanted to put together a book on African Americans living in White Plains, NY. Harold continued his design and publishing skills by designing, writing and publishing another coffee-table book called “ On The Streets Where We Lived”. This book still continues to reached across racial lines and sell volumes throughout the United States. The two books garnered the attention of the New York Public Library who purchased the books to become a part of their in-house collection.
The new venture he created was a coffee-table pictorial book on the African Americans living throughout The Town of Greenburgh New York called “Our Roots Run Deep”. With the association of a community group, the Greenburgh African American Historical Alliance this book traces the pictorial history of Black folk who lived and continue to live throughout the villages of Greenburgh. Made up with over six hundred photos and 142 pages (by far the largest book yet) it shows the many famous celebrities and residents that lived in this town and how everyday hard working people faced the hardship of life just to survive.
Harold printed a limited amount of books to test the marketability of the project which sold-out immediately. As of this date, he continues to sell and take orders as he is well into the second printing of this publication.
Three publications on African Americans living in Westchester County
that contain history and pictorial images to cherish for the future.
White Plains, NY
Yonkers, NY
