Robert Benjamin “Bob” Henderson was born on 27 July 1930 in Ruston, Louisiana, the only son of Samuel Jacob and Ruby Irene Richardson Henderson. He was a graduate of Ruston High School in 1947. He earned two degrees from Louisiana Tech, a B.S. in Education (Physical Education) in 1952 and a B.A. in Arts and Sciences (Public Relations-Journalism) in 1955. On 7 August 1958, he married Judith Kay Anderson of Peoria, Illinois. He died 22 October 1996.

From 1947-1955 Henderson served in the U.S. Air Force, including almost two years during the Korean conflict. He was also sports editor of the Ruston (LA) Daily Leader as well as a member of the Shreveport (LA) Times newspaper staff.

Henderson became Instructor of Journalism and News Bureau Director at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro in 1956. In addition, he was director of the All-American City Basketball tournament. He joined the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) Athletic Department on 1 July 1960 as the first Sports Information Director at any state supported institution in Louisiana. After a nine-month tenure in St. Louis, he resumed his Sports Information Director duties 1 July 1962 at USL, serving until 1 January 1972. Henderson worked in 1973 for the USL Century Club as Public Relations Director for the Bayou Classic Basketball Tournament. For the next nine years, from 1973-1982, he was Evangeline Downs PR-Publicity Director. He then briefly worked for the Lafayette Advertiser as a business writer before his health forced him to retire.