Over a career spanning 69 years, Jerry Pinkney became one of the most revered and respected children’s book illustrators in America, if not the world.
His evocative drawings and paintings won him international acclaim and brought more than 100 children’s books to life.
As one of America’s pre-eminent Black illustrators, many of Jerry’s books prominently featured Black characters, Black history and culture, with the underlying goal of dignifying African-American images.
His books have been translated into sixteen languages and published in fourteen countries, and he has been the recipient of the Randolph Caldecott Medal, five Caldecott Honors, five New York Times “Best Illustrated Books”, five Coretta Scott King Awards, and four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards.
On His Approach
“I love the act of making marks on paper, and seeing those marks develop into a picture. How rewarding it is to just sit, observe, and paint! But I am a storyteller at heart, which is why I was drawn to picture books. Each project begins with the question,
“Is this story worth telling? Is the manuscript an interesting read? Is it surprising and challenging? Will I, in the process of making pictures, learn something new?”
With these questions answered, I let the text speak to me. The style in which a story is written will offer me clues and give direction.”
On Illustrating and Writing for Kids
“When I am working for children, I aim for clarity with a direct correlation between text and art, but I still illustrate stories not as I imagine a child sees them, but how I see them. My work is my life’s vocation, yet it is also the way I get to speak about interests and passions, the immediacy of drawing and my love of painting. What drives my narratives is the search for order, symmetry, beauty and emotion. I want to lead the viewer into my imagination—a world that exists inside these pictures. I have illustrated over a hundred children’s books, and my wish for each one is that all ages will be able to find something that touches them in some way.”
“Because reading was so difficult, drawing gave me an outlet to process reality, express myself, and dream of a world where I had more power and agency. This book itself is a result of my desire to expand my creative capabilities through hard work and determination to fulfill another dream: to become a writer.”
On the Projects He Chose
“A sense of community has always been important to me, and I want that to be reflected in my art. When I speak of community, I am not only talking about the immediate world around me, but also legacy. I am always searching for projects that connect with my culture and the experience of being Black in America.”
A special project for Jerry was illustrating Barry Wittenstein’s text for the 2019 book “A Place to Land,” about the events and decisions leading up to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. To tackle that project, he asked himself whether King’s sentiments still apply today. His answer, he told Booklist in 2019, was yes.
“Knowing that,” he said. “I understood that in my art I had to redirect the tone of Dr. King’s remarks to fit the challenges of this 21st century, to view the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech as a call to continue the struggle. As marching orders.”
On October 20, 2021, Jerry Pinkney passed peacefully at the age of 81 but his work, and his legacy, live on.
As always, his memory is a blessing.