Jerry Pinkney was an American illustrator and writer of children’s literature Know all about him in this article as like his Family, Net Worth, Parents, Wife, Children, Books and Biography
Bio | |
Name | Jerry Pinkney |
Birthdate ( Age) | 22 December 1939 |
Place of Birth | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
Nationality | American |
Marital Status | Married |
Spouse/Partner | Gloria Jean Pinkney |
Children | Brian Pinkney, Myles C. Pinkney, Troy Pinkney-Ragsdale, Scott Cannon Pinkney |
Parents | Name not Known |
Education | Not Known |
Profession | American illustrator |
Net Worth | $2 Million |
Last Update | October 2021 |
Jerry Pinkney was an American illustrator and writer of children’s literature. Pinkney illustrated over 100 books since 1964, including picture books, nonfiction titles and novels. Pinkney’s works addressed diverse themes and were usually done in watercolors.

Jerry Pinkney with Wife
Pinkney has partnered with the United States Postal Service, National Park Service, and National Geographic for his illustration work. His art has also been featured in numerous exhibitions.
Early Life and Family
Pinkney was born in the Germantown section of the city of Philadelphia on December 22, 1939 to Willie Mae and James Pinkney.Pinkney was the middle child in a family of five siblings.Pinkney struggled in school due to dyslexia, but excelled at drawing, even at a young age.During Pinkney’s youth, his mother encouraged him to develop his skills by enrolling him in art classes, but Pinkney’s father did not consider art a sustainable career until Pinkney grew older.
Jerry Pinkney Wife
Jerry Pinkney married with wife Gloria Jean Pinkney.The couple have four children: Troy, Brian, Scott, and Myles.Brian Pinkney and his wife Andrea Davis Pinkney also write books for children.The other Pinkney children, including Jerry and Gloria Pinkney’s six grandchildren, all participate in the arts, which Gloria calls a continuation of “the Pinkney tradition.”Pinkney lived in Croton-on-Hudson in New York with his wife Gloria, where he worked out of his freelance studio, Jerry Pinkney Studio, since 1971.
Jerry Pinkney Net Worth
Jerry Pinkney was an American illustrator and writer of children’s literature has an estimated Net Worth around $ 2 Million in 2021.
Is Jerry Pinkney still alive
Pinkney died of a heart attack on October 20, 2021, at the age of 81.
Professional Career
During his early teens, Pinkney worked at a local newspaper stand, where he would pass the time by drawing city life.Pinkney’s talent caught the eye of customer and cartoonist John Liney, who worked on the Henry comic strips.Liney showed Pinkney how artistry could be used for commercial purposes.
Pinkney attended the Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School for his secondary education and met his future wife, Gloria Jean Pinkney, during this time.Pinkney graduated from Murrell Dobbins in 1957 and was granted a full scholarship to the Philadelphia Museum College of Art .Pinkney only attended the Philadelphia College of Art for a few years, leaving to start a family with wife Gloria.
In 1960, Pinkney began working for The Rust Craft Greeting Card Company in Dedham, Massachusetts.Pinkney later worked at Barker-Black Studio, where he illustrated his first picture book in collaboration with Joyce Cooper Arkhurst called, The Adventures of Spider: West African Folk Tales (1964).He, along with two other artists, opened Kaleidoscope Studio a few years later.Pinkney opened his own freelance studio, Jerry Pinkney Studios, in 1968.
During the 1970s, Pinkney worked on the Black Heritage Stamp Series for the United States Postal Service.During the 1980s Pinkney began to receive additional recognition for his work, including a Coretta Scott King Award for his collaboration with author Patricia McKissack on Mirandy and Brother Wind (1989).Pinkney also collaborated with the National Geographic Magazineand the National Park Service on the topic of the Underground Railroad.
Pinkney has also worked as an educator, teaching at colleges and universities like the University of Delaware the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York and the University at Buffalo,in Buffalo, New York.Pinkney researched the subjects of his works for accuracy, such as the dress of the characters involved and the time periods.Pinkney also used live models for establishing character poses. Pinkney has stated he liked to draw animals the most and to give these characters human features.