History Made As Ketanji Brown Jackson Is Sworn In As First Black Woman On US Supreme Court
On Thursday, June 30, the United States made history as Ketanji Brown Jackson, 51, was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
Recall that in February, US President, Joe Biden nominated Jackson fulfilling a campaign promise to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.
In April, three Republicans crossed the aisle to seal her appointment in the US Senate.
The 51-year-old, who will replace Justice Stephen Breyer, was then sworn in on Thursday.
In a statement, she accepts “the solemn responsibility” of the role.
However, the former public defender joined the court at a tumultuous period in its history.
She came six days after the court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade landmark that legalized abortion nationwide,striked down a New York law restricting gun-carrying rights, and limited the US Environmental Protection Agency’s power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Presently, the nine-member court is split between six Republican-appointed justices and three picked by Democrats.
Due to this, the lifetime appointment will likely see Ketanji Brown Jackson on the bench for decades but will not shift the current ideological balance of the court.
Also, she joning the court means that its liberal minority -with Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, will be made up entirely of women.
Congratulating his successor on Thursday, Mr Breyer said;
“Her hard work, integrity, and intelligence have earned her a place on this court.I am glad for my fellow justices. They gain a colleague who is empathetic, thoughtful, and collegial,”
Note that Ketanji Brown Jackson is a Washington DC native and she previously sat on the influential US court of Appeals for the DC circuit.
The judge, who has two degrees from Harvard University, once served as editor of the Harvard Law Review and worked as a public defender in Washington.
He also joined a private practice prior to her judicial appointments.
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