Loss of Diocesan Trailblazer: Carole A. Pinkett, First Woman of Color to Serve at Council

Ms. Carole A. Pinkett passed away Friday, January 13, 2023, at the age of 87. She was born in New York, raised in Philadelphia, and attended the historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas.

Upon relocating to Texas, she joined St. James’ Episcopal Church, Houston, where she remained until her passing. There, she was a member of Episcopal Church Women (ECW), Daughters of the King (DOK), Wednesday Bunch, and was active in parish leadership –having served as a Worship Leader for the Jubilee Service, a Lay Eucharistic Minister, and as a previous member of the Vestry. She also contributed greatly to parish evangelism efforts.

At the diocesan level, she served under five bishops. She was the first woman of color to serve as a delegate at Diocesan Council, and served as a member of the Diocesan Executive Board, the Bishop Quin Foundation, and the Board of Trustees of St. Vincent’s House. She also served as a chair of the Commission on Black Ministry, and in this latter capacity, she oversaw the production of the Diocese’s publication of a seminal work: a complete history of African American churches in the diocese. She considered that undertaking, This Far by Faith, a very special gift to the diocese. She was co-founder of the Rev. John Dublin Epps Chapter of UBE, chartered in the diocese in 1984, and served as president for more than one term. In this capacity, she advocated for lifting lay and clergy leaders of the African American community, to teach and mentor African American youth, and to advocate for the rights of people of color at all levels of the Church. She chaired the 2007 UBE Annual Business Meeting and Conference hosted by the diocese.

After attending the 2014 UBE annual conference, the year in which the National Church, UBE, and African Americans struggled with the killing of Michael Brown, a Black youth in Ferguson, Missouri, she was inspired to host a discussion that also addressed discernment. Her efforts propelled the newly elected national president of UBE to preach at the St. James’, Houston, while also headlining a panel discussion to bring about hope to the youth of the parish.

Not only Carole a trailblazer within the Church, professionally, she shattered glass ceilings for minorities as the first African American executive at Exxon, and the first African American director of human resources at the Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro). She also worked for South Texas Project Electric Generating Station in Matagorda County founded her own consulting firm. She later served on the Board of Directors of the Metro.

A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., in which she was active for 67 uninterrupted years, after pledging at North Carolina A&T University where she received her undergraduate degree. She completed graduate work at Texas Southern University. Carole lived a life of service for which she will be long remembered.