Source: Kevin Dietsch / Getty
For the first time in American history, white men will not make up a majority of the Supreme Court of the United States. With Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation as the first Black female Supreme Court Justice, the Supreme Court bench has come as close as it has ever been to being equal now that there are four women and five men. Alongside Jackson, there are three other women: Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Amy Coney Barrett. This also the first time there are two Black people on the bench, Jackson and Justice Clarence Thomas.
President Joe Biden took to social media to express his excitement about Jackson’s confirmation. After all, he was the one who nominated her to replace Justice Stephen Breyer.
“Judge Jackson’s confirmation was a historic moment for our nation,” Joe Biden tweeted along with a photo of himself with Jackson taking a selfie. “We’ve taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America. She will be an incredible justice, and I was honored to share this moment with her.”
Jackson’s road to confirmation was a rough one. During her confirmation hearings, she was grilled by U.S senators who threw irrelevant and unfair questions at her for hours. The most heartfelt moment of the entire process was when Senator Cory Booker shared how proud he was to see her reach this moment.
“I want to tell you, when I look at you, this is why I get emotional,” Booker said. “I’m sorry, you’re a person that is so much more than your race and gender. You’re a Christian. You’re a mom. You’re an intellectual, you love books. For me it’s hard not to look at you and not see my mom. I see my cousins — I see my ancestors and yours. You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American.”
Black women are also reveling in this achievement. Janette McCarthy Wallace, general counsel of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), echoed all of our sentiments in her statement when she spoke on the “significance of this moment for the Black community.”
“Representation is powerful – now, Black women and girls who dream of reaching the highest levels of our government, or any profession for that matter, can see that it is possible,” she said in a statement. “While soon-to-be Justice Jackson’s confirmation did not come without racist, misogynistic attacks on her career and character, it is without question that Ketanji Brown Jackson is imminently qualified to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.”
