July 15, 2021 – Cartersville, GA – Join us on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at 6 p.m. at the Booth Western Art Museum’s Bergman Theatre for a celebration in honor of Cartersville native, Justice Robert Benham, recent retiree of the Supreme Court of Georgia. The evening will begin with presentations from the City of Cartersville and Bartow County, as well as State Representative Matthew Gambill. Following the presentations, local attorney, David Archer, and long-time friend, Donald Jones will hold a discussion with Justice Benham. Finally, the evening will conclude with a reception at the Bartow History Museum at 7:30 p.m. During the reception, attendees are invited to visit the temporary exhibit, “From Summer Hill to the Halls of Justice: Robert Benham’s Journey to the Supreme Court of Georgia. The exhibit features items from the Bartow History Museum’s collection and items on loan from the Benham’s themselves. This event is free and open to the public. Anyone planning to attend should RSVP to info@bartowhistorymuseum.org or call the Bartow History Museum at (770) 387-2774.
About Justice Robert Benham Robert Benham was born September 25, 1946 to Jesse Knox Benham and Clarence Benham in Cartersville, GA. He graduated Summer Hill High School in 1963. Benham continued his education earning a B.S. in Political Science from Tuskegee University in 1967; graduated from the University of Georgia, Lumpkin School of Law with a J. D. Degree in 1970; and a Master’s in Law from the University of Virginia in 1989.
After completing law school, Justice Benham served in the U.S. Army Reserve, attaining the rank of Captain. Benham later returned to Cartersville where he took up private practice law, served as Special Assistant Attorney General, and served two terms as President of the Bartow County Bar Association.
On April 3, 1984, Benham was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor Joe Frank Harris. He won the statewide election and served on the Court of Appeals for five years. In December 1989, Benham was appointed by Governor Joe Frank Harris to the Supreme Court of Georgia. Again, Benham won statewide election to a full term on the Supreme Court. In December of 2019, Justice Benham announced that he would resign from the Supreme Court of Georgia in March of 2020, ending his Benham spent 34 years of service on the bench.
About the Bartow History Museum The Bartow History Museum, located at 4 East Church Street in downtown Cartersville, Georgia, documents the history of northwest Georgia’s Bartow County, spanning more than 200 years since the Cherokee were the area’s primary residents. Artifacts, photographs, documents, and a variety of interactive permanent exhibits tell the story of settlement, Cherokee life and removal, Civil War strife, and lifestyles of years past. The Bartow History Museum also provides a variety of educational opportunities for adults, children, families, and school groups. For more information visit www.bartowhistorymuseum.org.
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