BILL PICKNEY

William Pinkney (1935-2023), sailor, educator, and author, gained global fame for his 1990-1992 solo-circumnavigation of the world under the five Great Capes. The first Black sailor to accomplish the feat, Bill completed his 22-month quest aboard the 47’ sloop named THE COMMITMENT.

 

Born and raised in Chicago and a former Commodore of the Belmont Yacht Club, Bill embarked on his journey to educate and inspire his grandchildren. Bill collaborated with teachers to develop lesson plans about his journey which were used to enable thousands of young students to follow his course around the world.

In the early 2000s, Bill oversaw the Mystic Seaport Museum's building of the replica of the slave ship AMISTAD, which he skippered during a reprise of the original voyage to Freetown in Sierra Leone. Bill continued to work on educational projects until his death in August of 2023. Captain Pinkney is a
member of the National Sailing Hall of Fame and has been recognized with numerous awards and honorary degrees. His life has been the subject of documentary films, books, and museum exhibitions, including two children's books and a memoir.