Special Collections and Archives is pleased to announce the creation and release of the Sue Bennett finding guide.

Sue Bennett was born in Pasadena, California in 1948. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Southern California in 1972 then moved to Flagstaff, Arizona where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1975. While attending the Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff she enrolled in many photography classes where her photographs of athletes impressed local photographer John Running. She did an internship for Mountain Bell taking marketing photos and later worked for the Arizona Tourism Board. Around this time, she started a freelance photography business called Sue Bennett Photography Inc.

Bennett was a masterful business woman, marketing herself and her work. In her later career, she was sought after by top agencies to shoot ad campaigns for clients such as Dupont, Olympus, Nikon, IBM, American Express, and many others.

In May of 2003, Sue died tragically in a car accident near Palm Springs California. She was remembered by friends and colleagues not just for her remarkable photography, but as a fun loving, kind and generous person.

In 2013 John Running, Bennett’s long-time partner, donated her work to Cline Library Special Collections and Archives. Approximately 150,000 color slides, black-and-white negatives/prints, and prints form the bulk of the collection.  Detailed diaries and journals provide additional contextual insight into her work and personal life.

Special Collections and Archives will be developing an exhibit featuring Sue’s work that will open in October 2017. The department is receiving applications for the Elizabeth M and PT Reilly Summer Internship until February 17, 2017. The Reilly intern will be responsible for developing the physical and virtual exhibit under the supervision of an archivist. See the internship announcement here.