Pinkney, Andrea Davis and Brian, are a husband and wife who are major figures in American children’s literature. The Pinkneys are known for their books on African American culture, particularly African American history and biography. Andrea Davis Pinkney is an author, and Brian Pinkney is an illustrator. They have each won a Coretta Scott King Award. The annual awards honor African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books portraying the Black experience for young readers.
Brian Pinkney won the 2000 Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations for In the Time of the Drums (written by Kim L. Siegelson, 1999). He has also written and illustrated several books, including JoJo’s Flying Sidekick (1995) and Thumbelina (2003). Andrea Davis Pinkney won the 2013 Coretta Scott King Award as best author for Hand In Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America (illustrated by her husband, 2012). She has also written Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters (illustrated by Stephen Alcorn, 2000) and Bird in a Box (illustrated by Sean Qualls, 2011). In addition to publishing their own works, Andrea and Brian have collaborated on several picture books. They include Pretty Brown Face (1997); Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation (2008); Sit In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down (2010); Martin Rising: Requiem for a King (2018); and Because of You, John Lewis (2022).
Jerry Brian Pinkney was born on Aug. 28, 1961, in Boston, Massachusetts. His father was Jerry Pinkney, a famous children’s book illustrator. Brian earned a B.F.A. degree from the Philadelphia College of Art (now part of the University of the Arts) in 1983. He also earned an M.F.A. degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1990. Andrea Rae Davis was born on Sept. 25, 1963, in Washington, D.C. She earned a degree in journalism from Syracuse University in 1985. Brian and Andrea were married in 1991.
