It is named for Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, an early American diplomat and presidential candidate.

[3] Pinckneyville is located on Illinois Route 13 about 60 miles (97 km) southeast of St. Louis.

35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

[7] During the American Civil War (1861–1865), southern Illinois was under martial law.

In the years after Reconstruction, many laws were established to ensure the second-class status of African Americans.

From 1890 to 1968, many sundown towns were established throughout the United States, including several in southern Illinois.

However, the rape explanation is considered to be unreliable because of the vagueness of the story and because it conflicts with accounts offered by others who lived in Pinckneyville at the time.

[citation needed] As of the 2000 United States census, 1,331 of the 5,464 residents were black, however this population total includes the inmates of Pinckneyville Correctional Center, who are mostly African-American.

[8] Today, Pinckneyville is home to the Illinois Rural Heritage museum.