Cleveland City Council consultant Mary Anne Sharkey posted on her Facebook page that the council’s Finance Committee meeting Monday afternoon honored Pinkney with a moment of silence. She called Pinkney “my friend and mentor.”

U.S. Rep Marcia Fudge also posted on her Facebook page: “With the passing of Arnold Pinkney, the Cleveland community has lost a remarkable public servant who cared deeply about the future of our children and the well-being of all people. Mr. Pinkney has been a friend and an astute political mentor to many, including me. My thoughts and prayers go out to Betty and all other members of his family.”

The 1966 campaign of Judge Charles W. White for Common Pleas Court of Cuyahoga County was Pinkney’s first campaign. Pinkney served as Campaign Manager for Lloyd O. Brown, judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court.

He served as Campaign Manager for Louis Stokes’ election campaign in 1968 when Louis Stokes became the first Black Congressman from the state of Ohio.

He also managed Stokes’ re-election campaign in 1970.

Pinkney managed Carl Stokes’ 1969 Mayoral re-election campaign. Stokes was the first African-American mayor of a major American City.

Pinkney was the National Deputy Campaign Manager for Senator Hubert H. Humphrey’s Democratic nomination for U.S. President.

Pinkney served as Deputy Campaign Manager for the re-election of Governor John Gilligan State of Ohio in 1974 and was Deputy Campaign Manager for Richard F. Celeste for Governor the State of Ohio in 1982.

He served as National Campaign Manager for Reverend Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign which was the forerunner for the election of Barack Obama for President in 2008. Pinkney was Campaign Manager for Mayor Michael R. White’s re-election for Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio in 1997.

“We lost an icon. We lost a great man. We lost a civil rights leader,” said Cleveland City Councilman Zach Reed. “I remember when Jesse Jackson came to Cleveland and the legacy was ‘Run Jesse Run.’ It was Arnold Pinkney that did that.”