AAEC - Cartoonist Profile

Clay Bennett

Born January 20, 1958 in Clinton, South Carolina. The son of a career army officer, he led a nomadic life, attending ten different schools before graduating in 1976 from S. R. Butler High School in Huntsville, Alabama.

Served as editorial cartoonist for his college paper and managing editor of the alternative student newspaper while attending the University of North Alabama. He graduated in 1980 with degrees in Art and History.

Worked as a staff artist for both the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Fayetteville (NC) Times before accepting the editorial cartooning position with the St. Petersburg Times in 1981.

Fired by the Times in 1994, he spent over 3 years in professional oblivion before being hired as the editorial cartoonist for The Christian Science Monitor.

Recipient of The Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 2002, Bennett has earned almost every honor his profession has to offer including the Sigma Delta Chi Award (2001), the National Journalism Award (2002), the National Cartoonist Society's Award for Editorial Cartoons (2002), the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award (2007), the John Fischetti Award twice (2001, 2005), the Overseas Press Club Award twice (2005, 2007), the National Headliner Award three times (1999, 2000, 2004), and was named 'Editorial Cartoonist of the Year' by Editor & Publisher magazine (2001).

A past president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, Bennett now draws for the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He is the husband of artist Cindy Procious, and father to Matt, Ben and Sarah.