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Created page with "{{Infobox person |name=Kirt Bruce Bennett | birth_date=December 15, 1967 | birth_place=Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | death_date=May 3, 2010 (aged 42) |..."
{{Infobox person
|name=Kirt Bruce Bennett
| birth_date=December 15, 1967
| birth_place=[[Brooklyn]], [[New York]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| death_date=May 3, 2010 (aged 42)
| death_place=[[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|spouse= Zanetta Denise Taylor-Bennett (goes by Denise)
|children=John Denham Bennett<br>
Christiana Marie Bennett<br>
Benjamin Taylor Bennett<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
Elden Denham Bennett<br>
Nova Carlota Bennett<br>
'''Alma mater''': <br>
Eleanor McMain Magnet Senior High School<br>
[[Louisiana State University]]<br>
Southern University (Baton Rouge)
|religion=[[United Methodist]]
|party[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]]
|footnotes=Though he never won office as an [[African-American]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] in [[Louisiana]], *Bennett founded the nationally recognized Young Leaders Academy in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]].<br>
*Bennett was a star track and field athlete at [[Louisiana State University]] between 1987 and 1991.
}}
'''Kirt Bruce Bennett''' (December 15, 1967 – May 3, 2010) was an [[African-American]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] political activist, [[business]]man, and educational leader in [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]].
==Background==
Bennett was born in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]. He graduated from Eleanor McMain Magnet Senior High School in [[New Orleans]], Louisiana.<ref name=hurst>Willmarine B. Hurst, "A New Breed with New Vision and New Leadership for a New Louisiana", May 30, 2003, at kirtbennett.com</ref> He then attended [[Louisiana State University]] in Baton Rouge on an athletic scholarship. He lettered in track and field: the shot-put, discus, and the hammer.<ref name=obit/> He was elected president of the LSU Student Government Association, the second African American in that position. In 1991, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in [[political science]]. In the early 21st century, he was invited to speak at the LSU commencement exercises. He also studied public administration at Southern University, an historically black institution in Baton Rouge.<ref name=hurst/>
In 1993, Bennett founded the Young Leaders Academy of Baton Rouge, an institution for the education of African-American boys.<ref name=yla>{{cite web|url=http://www.youngleaders.org/|title=Young Leaders Academy mourns loss of former director and friend|publisher=youngleaders.org|accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref> Youngsters from the school appeared twice on the syndicated [[Oprah Winfrey]] program and won Winfrey's "Use Your Life" award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ejPliGK-_HcJ:www.guidestar.org/pqShowGsReport.do%3Fpartner%3Djustgive%26npoId%3D409003+Young+Leaders+School+on+The+Oprah+Winfrey+Show&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us|title=Young Leaders Academy of Baton Rouge|publisher=webcache.goolgeusercontent.com|accessdate=May 8, 2010}}</ref> In 1998, the school was presented the "Points of Light" award by former [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]].<ref name=yla/> Other citations include three U.S. President Service awards from former President [[Bill Clinton]] and an [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] Community Service designation in 2006.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=kirt-bruce-bennett&pid=142542604
|title=Kirt Bruce Bennett|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=May 7, 2010|accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref>
==Political campaigns==
In March 1993, while still in his twenties, Bennett ran as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in a [[special election]] for the District 67 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives]]. He finished in third place with 11 percent of the vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 6, 1993.</ref>
In 2003, Bennett, Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016) and Melinda Schwegmann were three major Republican candidates for [[lieutenant governor]]. Bennett stressed improving the state's business climate in his campaign.<ref name=hurst/> The position instead went to the lone [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in the race, [[Mitch Landrieu]], later the [[mayor]] of New Orleans.<ref name=obit/> Bennett ran fourth in the nonpartisan blanket primary, with 108,293 votes (8.5 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2003.</ref>
In 2004, Bennett ran unsuccessfully again, this time for a seat on the 144-member Republican State Central Committee from House District 61, but he lost to [[Dan Richey]], a former member of both houses of the state legislature, having represented the area about Concordia Parish. Richey defeated Bennett, 102-65, in a low-turnout [[closed primary]].<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returs, March 9, 2004.</ref>
Bennett was a representative of the Northwest Mutual Financial Network. At the time of his death, he was also serving as the treasurer of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge board of commissioners, under appointment from Republican then [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]]. Port headquarters are located in Port Allen in West Baton Rouge Parish]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portgbr.com/content.php?display=contacts_com|title=Port commissioners|publisher=portgbr.com|accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref>
==Death==
Kirt Bennett died on May 3, 2010 at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge after suffering a [[stroke]] the previous week. He was 42.<ref name=obit/>
The Young Leaders' Academy issued the following statement on Bennett's death: "Mr. Bennett laid a solid foundation that continues to direct our path today. He was a visionary leader who offered himself in service to countless people in this community. We will never find the words to express the depth of his impression on the young men that he inspired, molded, and mentored."<ref name=yla/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Kirt}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:New York City]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Educators]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:African Americans]]
[[Category:United Methodists]]
|name=Kirt Bruce Bennett
| birth_date=December 15, 1967
| birth_place=[[Brooklyn]], [[New York]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| death_date=May 3, 2010 (aged 42)
| death_place=[[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|spouse= Zanetta Denise Taylor-Bennett (goes by Denise)
|children=John Denham Bennett<br>
Christiana Marie Bennett<br>
Benjamin Taylor Bennett<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
Elden Denham Bennett<br>
Nova Carlota Bennett<br>
'''Alma mater''': <br>
Eleanor McMain Magnet Senior High School<br>
[[Louisiana State University]]<br>
Southern University (Baton Rouge)
|religion=[[United Methodist]]
|party[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]]
|footnotes=Though he never won office as an [[African-American]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] in [[Louisiana]], *Bennett founded the nationally recognized Young Leaders Academy in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]].<br>
*Bennett was a star track and field athlete at [[Louisiana State University]] between 1987 and 1991.
}}
'''Kirt Bruce Bennett''' (December 15, 1967 – May 3, 2010) was an [[African-American]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] political activist, [[business]]man, and educational leader in [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]].
==Background==
Bennett was born in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]. He graduated from Eleanor McMain Magnet Senior High School in [[New Orleans]], Louisiana.<ref name=hurst>Willmarine B. Hurst, "A New Breed with New Vision and New Leadership for a New Louisiana", May 30, 2003, at kirtbennett.com</ref> He then attended [[Louisiana State University]] in Baton Rouge on an athletic scholarship. He lettered in track and field: the shot-put, discus, and the hammer.<ref name=obit/> He was elected president of the LSU Student Government Association, the second African American in that position. In 1991, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in [[political science]]. In the early 21st century, he was invited to speak at the LSU commencement exercises. He also studied public administration at Southern University, an historically black institution in Baton Rouge.<ref name=hurst/>
In 1993, Bennett founded the Young Leaders Academy of Baton Rouge, an institution for the education of African-American boys.<ref name=yla>{{cite web|url=http://www.youngleaders.org/|title=Young Leaders Academy mourns loss of former director and friend|publisher=youngleaders.org|accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref> Youngsters from the school appeared twice on the syndicated [[Oprah Winfrey]] program and won Winfrey's "Use Your Life" award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ejPliGK-_HcJ:www.guidestar.org/pqShowGsReport.do%3Fpartner%3Djustgive%26npoId%3D409003+Young+Leaders+School+on+The+Oprah+Winfrey+Show&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us|title=Young Leaders Academy of Baton Rouge|publisher=webcache.goolgeusercontent.com|accessdate=May 8, 2010}}</ref> In 1998, the school was presented the "Points of Light" award by former [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]].<ref name=yla/> Other citations include three U.S. President Service awards from former President [[Bill Clinton]] and an [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] Community Service designation in 2006.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=kirt-bruce-bennett&pid=142542604
|title=Kirt Bruce Bennett|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=May 7, 2010|accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref>
==Political campaigns==
In March 1993, while still in his twenties, Bennett ran as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in a [[special election]] for the District 67 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives]]. He finished in third place with 11 percent of the vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 6, 1993.</ref>
In 2003, Bennett, Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016) and Melinda Schwegmann were three major Republican candidates for [[lieutenant governor]]. Bennett stressed improving the state's business climate in his campaign.<ref name=hurst/> The position instead went to the lone [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in the race, [[Mitch Landrieu]], later the [[mayor]] of New Orleans.<ref name=obit/> Bennett ran fourth in the nonpartisan blanket primary, with 108,293 votes (8.5 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2003.</ref>
In 2004, Bennett ran unsuccessfully again, this time for a seat on the 144-member Republican State Central Committee from House District 61, but he lost to [[Dan Richey]], a former member of both houses of the state legislature, having represented the area about Concordia Parish. Richey defeated Bennett, 102-65, in a low-turnout [[closed primary]].<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returs, March 9, 2004.</ref>
Bennett was a representative of the Northwest Mutual Financial Network. At the time of his death, he was also serving as the treasurer of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge board of commissioners, under appointment from Republican then [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]]. Port headquarters are located in Port Allen in West Baton Rouge Parish]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portgbr.com/content.php?display=contacts_com|title=Port commissioners|publisher=portgbr.com|accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref>
==Death==
Kirt Bennett died on May 3, 2010 at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge after suffering a [[stroke]] the previous week. He was 42.<ref name=obit/>
The Young Leaders' Academy issued the following statement on Bennett's death: "Mr. Bennett laid a solid foundation that continues to direct our path today. He was a visionary leader who offered himself in service to countless people in this community. We will never find the words to express the depth of his impression on the young men that he inspired, molded, and mentored."<ref name=yla/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Kirt}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:New York City]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Educators]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:African Americans]]
[[Category:United Methodists]]