A native of Philadelphia, Jerry studied at the hiladelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) where, in 1992 he received the Alumni Award. He has been illustrating children's books since 1964, illustrating over one hundred titles and has been the recipient of five Caldecott Honor Medals, a Caldecott Medal, and five The New York Times "Best Illustrated Books". He has received five Coretta Scott King Awards, and four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards. His books have been translated into sixteen languages and published in fourteen countries. Furthermore, he has received numerous awards for a body of work. In 2003, he received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University; in 2010 the Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa from the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, Lancaster, PA; and in May 2012 an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Bank Street Graduate School of Education in New York. Jerry was also a United States nominee for the l997 Hans Christian Andersen Illustration Medal. The Society of Illustrators in New York, NY has presented Jerry with four gold medals, four silver medals, the Hamilton King Award, and in 2006 their Original Arts Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2011, he was elected into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame.

In addition to his work in children's books, Jerry has had over thirty, one-man exhibitions, venues as the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; the California African American Museum, Los Angeles, CA; the Brandywine River Art Museum, Chadds Ford, PA; Schomberg Center, New York, NY; and The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. He has exhibited in over one hundred group shows within the USA, and has been exhibited in Japan, Russia, Italy, Taiwan, Jamaica, Bermuda, and Honolulu. Jerry has illustrated for a wide variety of clients, including the US Postal Service, National Parks Service, and National Geographic Magazine. Jerry created art for the Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger commemorative poster, a foundation that helps bring food to those in need. He was invited to create a painting for the 30th Bologna Book Fair, Bologna, Italy and for the NASA Art Collection of the John F. Kennedy Space Center. He was appointed to serve on the US Postal Services Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee from 1982 to 1992. In 2001 Jerry was invited by First Lady Laura bush to illustrate and design the White House Christmas Program for the Visitors Center. He has held several professorships and taught at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY; the University of Delaware, Newark, DE; and the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.

In 2003, Jerry was appointed to the National Council of the Arts - NEA, and served from 2003 to 2009. His art can be found in the permanent collections at the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the Delaware Art Museum, the Brandywine River Art Museum, and the National Museum of Wildlife Art as well as in private collections. Also works have been featured in The New York Times - Art Section, American Artist Magazine, The Horn Book Magazine, The CBS Sunday Morning Show, and the PBS Reading Rainbow. Pinkney is also a Trustee Emeritus for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA and is presently a Trustee on the Board of the Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY. He lives with his wife, author, Gloria Jean in Westchester County, NY.