Gwendolyn Bennett was born on July 8, 1902, in Giddings, Texas. Bennett would spend part of her childhood on a Native American reservation in Nevada where her parents were educators. After her parents’ divorce, Bennett's mother was awarded custody. According to the unknown author for the “Gwendolyn Bennett” Biography page for poetry foundation.org states that “Bennett was kidnapped by her father, who had remarried” (poetryfoundation.org). Bennett would eventually settle in Brooklyn, where she attended Girl's High School. With a passion for the creative arts, Bennett became the first African-American member of her school's theater and literature student organizations. She attended Columbia University's Teacher College, though she transferred to Pratt Institute, graduating in 1924. According to the unknown author for the “Gwendolyn Bennett” Biography page for coloumbia grangers.org states that “She joined the faculty at Howard University for a time before receiving funding to travel to Paris” (Columbia grangers.org).
In Bennett’s pursuit to escape the Harlem influence, she had moved to Florida for a time with her first husband, Dr. Alfred Jackson. As a result of Dr. Jackson's death, Bennett later return to Harlem and would become involved in the the Harlem Community Art Center. Bennett would leave the art center to establish and then launch the George Carver Community School. According to the unknown author for the “Gwendolyn Bennett” Biography page for poets.org states that “The schools' activities were halted due to investigation of alleged communist activities by the House Un-American Activities Committee”(poets.org). In light of being accused of communist activities Bennett had married fellow educator Richard Crosscup. This marriage would form interracial union, and the two started an antiques business during their retirement and remained together until Crosscup's death in 1980. Bennett died on May 30, 1981, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Her literary contributions can be found in various anthologies, with her professional and personal papers archived by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
