Clay Bennett was born January 20, 1958 in Clinton, South Carolina. Growing up the son of a career Army officer he moved often, attending ten different schools before graduating in 1976 from S.R. Butler High School in Huntsville, Alabama.

Served as editorial cartoonist for the college paper and managing editor of the alternative student newspaper while attending the University of North Alabama. 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 an editorial cartooning position with the St. Petersburg Times in 1981.

Leaving The St. Petersburg Times in 1994, he trained in web design and computer animation to produce animated editorial cartoons for the internet while continuing to draw cartoons for distribution through King Features Syndicate.

Since joining the staff of The Christian Science Monitor in 1998 he has been a finalist for The Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartoons three times (1999, 2000, 2001), received the National Headliner Award twice (1999, 2000), was named Editorial Cartoonist of the Year by Editor & Publisher magazine (2001), and won the John Fischetti Award (2002).