Jerry Pinkney

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Jerry Pinkney (1939- ) Jerry Pinkney was born in Philadelphia in 1939, and began drawing at the age of four. As a child he had great difficulty in elementary school, but his love of and talent for drawing was useful in elevating his self-esteem and gaining the attention of his teachers and fellow classmates.

Pinkney concentrated on commercial art at the Dobbins Vocational School as a teen, and was granted a full scholarship to the Philadelphia Museum College of Art, where he met his wife Gloria. Upon graduation, he held a variety of position in the field of design and illustration, including as a greeting card designer. Eventually he founded Kaleidoscope Studios with fellow artists, and two years later he opened his own Jerry Pinkney Studio and focused on illustrating children’s books.

Pinkney’s illustrative work often incorporates African American motifs. His works include Patricia’s McKissack’s Goin’ Someplace Special, a story of segregation in mid-century South, John Henry, for which he received one of his five Caldecott honors, and Julius Lester’s Tales of Uncle Remus. He also designed twelve postage stamps for the U.S. Postal Service’s Black Heritage series. "I always wanted to bring a sense of dignity to my characters," says illustrator Pinkney. "I personalize my characters. You see through my work how varied black folks are."

Pinkey is the recipient of five Caldecott Honors, five Coretta Scott King Awards, four New York Times Best Illustrated Book Awards (most recently Little Red Hen in 2006), and four gold and four silver medals from the Society of Illustrators. In 2000, he was given the Virginia Hamilton Literary award from Kent State University, which “recognizes an American author or illustrator whose books demonstrate artistic excellence and make a significant contribution to the field of multicultural literature for children and adolescents.” He received the 2004 University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for outstanding contributions in the field of children’s literature.