February 26, (THEWILL) – President Joe Biden has nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the U.S. Supreme Court, elevating an African American woman for the first time to a seat on the high court bench.
At a formal White House ceremony on Friday, Biden said, “it is my honor to introduce to the country a daughter of former public school teachers, a proven consensus builder, an accomplished lawyer, a distinguished jurist, one of the most — on one of the nation’s most prestigious courts.
“For too long our government, our courts haven’t looked like America. And I believe it is time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications.”
Jackson, in turn, said she was “truly humbled” by “the extraordinary honor” and gave credit to “the grace of God” and her parents for bringing her to this historic moment.
“I can only hope that my life and career, my love of this country and the Constitution, and my commitment to upholding the rule of law and the sacred principles upon which this great nation was founded will inspire future generations of Americans,” Jackson said at the White House.
In her brief remarks, she highlighted her family’s diverse background and touched on points that could resonate widely: her faith, her relatives’ careers in the police and military, the importance of her family.
Jackson began by thanking God “for delivering me to this point,” and she also did not neglect to mention an uncle who landed in prison after struggling with drugs.
The president, who spent weeks considering whom to nominate, touted Jackson’s varied legal experience and her personal background.
“For too long, our government and our courts haven’t looked like America. I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation, with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications, and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level,” said Biden.
If confirmed, Jackson, a federal Judge, will replace retiring Justice Stephen G. Breyer.
Her confirmation would also fulfills the president’s pledge to nominate the first black woman to the Supreme Court and would make Jackson, 51, just the third African American in the high court’s 233-year history.
And for the first time in history, there would be near-parity on the court, with five men and four women. She would join a bench that includes Justices Clarence Thomas and Sonia Sotomayor, meaning a third of the court for the first time would be made up of people of color.
Jackson would be the first federal public defender to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court and the first justice since Thurgood Marshall to have criminal defense experience.
Born in the District of Columbia in 1970, Jackson grew up in Miami in a family that valued public service.
Jackson comes from an elite legal pedigree. Her parents began their careers as public school teachers. Two uncles were law enforcement officers, including one who became Miami’s police chief.
A high school debate champion and class president, Jackson earned her undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard, where she met her future husband Patrick Jackson, a surgeon. She was also a former editor of the Harvard Law Review.
She went on to work as a law clerk for three federal judges, including Senator Breyer in 1999.
“Justice Breyer, the members of the senate will decide if I fill your seat, but please know that I could never fill your shoes,” Jackson said Friday.
She had served as a trial court judge in Washington for eight years before President Biden elevated her last year to the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
About the Author
