Benny Andrew was born in Georgia, a descendant of a former slave, and although he has lived and taught in New York and Connecticut for many years, his paintings and prints continue to reflect his experiences and memories of growing up in the South. His works have been shown throughout the Unites States and are in numerous museum collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the New Orleans Museum of Art.