Ketanji Brown Jackson Could Become The First Black Woman To Sit On Supreme Court

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Ketanji Brown Jackson Could Become The First Black Woman To Sit On Supreme Court

She has been the top pick from day one!

Ketanji Brown Jackson is set to make history as the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, CNBC reports.

President Joe Biden just announced that he would nominate federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. If confirmed, Jackson will make history as the first Black woman to sit on the nation’s highest court. Jackson is a current DC federal appellate court judge, having also worked as a public defender in the nation’s capital, a commissioner on the US Sentencing Commission and previously being appointed to the federal district court in DC by former President Barack Obama, CNN reports.

Biden had previously vowed to appoint a Black woman to the Supreme Court during his presidential campaign. Justice Stephen Breyer announced his plans to retire recently, opening the way for Jackson who previously worked as a clerk for Justice Breyer, aligning with Biden’s intention of appointing more public defenders to the federal bench. 

“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson…is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds and will be an exceptional Justice,” Biden said in a tweet.

Jackson grew up in the Miami area, the daughter of two public school teachers who went on to graduate with distinction from Harvard Law School. Jackson was a top contender from the very beginning, Biden still taking his time to thoroughly review all candidates. Ultimately, it was Jackson’s story and her expertise that set her ahead of the class. 

“President Biden sought a candidate with exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character and unwavering dedication to the rule of law,” a senior official told reporters. 

If confirmed, Jackson will become the sixth woman to serve on the Supreme Court, the third Black person and the first Black woman. Her seat on the court will do little to shift the conservative majority, the Supreme Court still standing at a 6-3 conservative favor among Justices. The nomination now goes to the Senate Judiciary Committee where Democrats hold the majority. Biden hopes Jackson can garner bipartisan support or else Democrats will need all of their members to guarantee her confirmation. 

"One can only come this far by faith,” Jackson said. "For me, the first person in my family to go to law school, to be admitted to the bar and to practice law, all the while seeing few people who looked like me, this moment is monumental. Thinking of all the little Black girls." 

Jackson will begin her courtesy meetings with senators next week but is already gaining support on both sides. House Speaker Paul Ryan recently tweeted his support of Jackson, writing, “Janna and I are incredibly happy for Ketanji and her entire family. Our politics may differ, but my praise for Ketanji’s intellect, for her character, and for her integrity, is unequivocal. 

 

Congratulations, Judge Jackson! Because of you, we can!

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Lamarque/Pool/Getty Images  

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