Clay Bennett (born January 20, 1958 in

Clinton, South Carolina Clinton is a city in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 8,490 as of the 2010 census. It is part of the Greenville– Mauldin– Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clinton is the home of Presbyterian Col ...

) is an American

editorial cartoon A political cartoon, a form of editorial cartoon, is a cartoon graphic with caricatures of public figures, expressing the artist's opinion. An artist who writes and draws such images is known as an editorial cartoonist. They typically combine a ...

ist. His cartoons typically present

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

viewpoints. Currently drawing for the ''

Chattanooga Times Free Press The ''Chattanooga Times Free Press'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is distributed in the metropolitan Chattanooga region of southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia. It is one of Tennessee's majo ...

'', Bennett is the recipient of the 2002

Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning The Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary is one of the fourteen Pulitzer Prizes that is annually awarded for journalism in the United States. It is the successor to the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning awarded from 1922 t ...

. Graduating from the

University of North Alabama The University of North Alabama (UNA) is a public university in Florence, Alabama. It is the state's oldest public university. Occupying a campus in a residential section of Florence, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes ...

in 1980, Bennett briefly served as a staff artist at the ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...

'' and the ''Fayetteville Times'' (NC). He worked as editorial cartoonist at the ''

St. Petersburg Times The ''Tampa Bay Times'', previously named the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It has won fourteen Pulitzer Prizes since 1964, and in 2009, won two in a single ...

'' for 13 years (1981–1994) but was fired in 1994. While Bennett's editor Phil Gailey denied the firing was politically motivated, many observers saw it as part of the traditionally liberal newspaper's trend towards becoming more conservative. Bennett said "Many saw the termination as political because I was out there on the far left. Obviously expressing your point of view can cost you your job." He later worked for ''

The Christian Science Monitor ''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles in electronic format as well as a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 as a daily newspaper ...

'' (1997–2007) and now draws five cartoons a week for the ''

'', having joined its staff in 2007. A nominated finalist for The

seven times, Bennett won the Prize in 2002. He's also the recipient of the

Sigma Delta Chi Award The Sigma Delta Chi Awards are presented annually by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) (formerly Sigma Delta Chi) for excellence in journalism. The SPJ states the purpose of the award is to promote "the free flow of information vital ...

, the

National Journalism Award The Scripps Howard Awards, formerly the National Journalism Awards are $10,000 awards in American journalism given by the Scripps Howard Foundation. As of 2022, the categories are: * Excellence in Coverage of Breaking News * Excellence in Broad ...

, the

Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award The Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism is a journalism award named after Robert F. Kennedy and awarded by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. The annual awards are issued in several categories and were est ...

, the

John Fischetti Award John R. Fischetti (September 27, 1916 – November 18, 1980) was an editorial cartoonist for the ''New York Herald Tribune'' and the ''Chicago Daily News''. He received a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1969 and numerous awards fr ...

, the National Headliner Award, the Thomas Nast Award from the

Overseas Press Club The Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) was founded in 1939 in New York City by a group of foreign correspondents. The wire service reporter Carol Weld was a founding member, as was the war correspondent Peggy Hull. The club seeks to maintain ...

, the

Berryman Award The National Press Foundation is a nonprofit journalism training organization. It educates journalists on complex issues and trains them in reporting tools and techniques. It recognizes and encourages excellence in journalism through its awards. ...

from the

National Press Foundation The National Press Foundation is a nonprofit journalism training organization. It educates journalists on complex issues and trains them in reporting tools and techniques. It recognizes and encourages excellence in journalism through its awards. ...

, the Ranan Lurie/United Nations Political Cartoon Award and the

National Cartoonists Society The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the ...

's Award for Editorial Cartoons. A past president of the

Association of American Editorial Cartoonists The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) is a professional association concerned with promoting the interests of staff, freelance and student editorial cartoonists in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With nearly 200 members, it ...

, Bennett lives in Chattanooga with his wife, artist Cindy Procious. His work is syndicated internationally by Counterpoint Licensing and Syndication.

Awards

* 2019

Society of Professional Journalists The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,2009 SPJ Annual Report, letter ...

* 2019 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2018 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2017 Divisional Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2017

* 2017 Thomas Nast Award,

of America * 2016 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2016 National Headliner Award for Editorial Cartoons * 2014

Clifford K. and James T. Berryman Award The National Press Foundation is a nonprofit journalism training organization. It educates journalists on complex issues and trains them in reporting tools and techniques. It recognizes and encourages excellence in journalism through its awards. ...

for Editorial Cartooning,

* 2014 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2013 Grambs Aronson Award for Cartooning with a Conscience, Hunter College * 2013 Champion of Equality, Tennessee Equality Project * 2012 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2011 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2011 United Nations/Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Awards * 2010 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2009 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2008 Ink Bottle Award,

* 2007 Thomas Nast Award,

of America * 2007

for Cartoons * 2005 Thomas Nast Award,

of America * 2005

for Editorial Cartooning * 2005 Alumni of the Year,

* 2004 Grand Prize, National Population Cartoon Contest * 2004 National Headliner Award for Editorial Cartoons * 2002

* 2002 NCS Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2002

Scripps Howard Foundation The Scripps Howard Fund is a public charity that supports philanthropic causes important to the E. W. Scripps Company, an American media conglomerate which owns television stations, cable television networks, and other media outlets. The goal of t ...

* 2001

* 2001 John Fischetti Award for Editorial Cartooning * 2001 Editorial Cartoonist of the Year, ''

Editor & Publisher ''Editor & Publisher'' (''E&P'') is an American monthly trade news magazine covering the newspaper industry. Published since 1901, ''Editor & Publisher'' is the self-described "bible of the newspaper industry." Originally based in New York City, ...

'' magazine * 2000 National Headliner Award for Editorial Cartoons * 1999 National Headliner Award for Editorial Cartoons * 1994 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 1990 Jane Roe Media Award, Florida Abortion Rights Action League * 1986 H. L. Mencken Award for Best Cartoon, Free Press Association * 1984 Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 1979

Society for Collegiate Journalists The Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ) is an American honor society for student journalists. It was formed on June 1, 1975 as a merger between the two journalism honor societies Pi Delta Epsilon (ΠΔΕ) and Alpha Phi Gamma (ΑΦΓ). Many ...

Award for Editorial Cartoons

Nominations and Citations

* 2022 Finalist, Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2020 Finalist, National Headliner Award for Editorial Cartoons * 2020 Finalist, Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2018 Finalist, NCS Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2017 Finalist, National Headliner Award for Editorial Cartoons * 2017 Finalist, Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2015 Citation for Excellence, United Nations/Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Awards * 2015 Finalist, Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2014 Finalist, NCS Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2014 Finalist,

Herblock Prize The Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning is an annual $15,000 after-tax cash prize, and a sterling silver Tiffany trophy.

* 2013 Finalist, NCS Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2013 Finalist,

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

for Editorial Cartooning * 2013 Finalist, National Headliner Award for Editorial Cartoons * 2012 Finalist, NCS Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2010 Citation for Excellence, United Nations/Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Awards * 2009 Finalist, Thomas Nast Award,

of America * 2009 Finalist, International Editorial Cartoon Competition, Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom * 2009 Finalist, National Headliner Award for Editorial Cartoons * 2008 Finalist,

for Editorial Cartooning * 2008 Finalist, Green Eyeshade Award for Editorial Cartoons,

* 2007 Citation for Excellence, United Nations/Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Awards * 2006 Citation for Excellence, United Nations/Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Awards * 2003 Finalist,

for Editorial Cartooning * 2001 Finalist,

* 2000 Finalist,

for Editorial Cartooning * 1999 Finalist,

for Editorial Cartooning

References

External links

Clay Bennett at Times Free Press

Facebook page

Cartoon gallery
*
Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Art Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Clay 1958 births Living people American editorial cartoonists Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning winners The Christian Science Monitor people Tampa Bay Times University of North Alabama alumni People from Clinton, South Carolina