Justice Kitangi Brown-Jackson will be the first black woman on the US Supreme Court in the nation’s history. On Thursday, the Senate approved her nomination. Reuters commented: “This is a milestone for the United States and the success of President Joe Biden, who has fulfilled his electoral promise to increase representation in the federal judiciary.”
And 53 members of the Senate supported the approval of Jackson, 51, while 47 opposed him. Three Republicans voted for the Democratic presidential candidate, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney. Thus, Jackson became the first black woman elected to the US Supreme Court. It is also the first Supreme Court seat held by Democrats in 12 years.
Jackson will replace retired judge Stephen Breyer, 83. The work will continue until the end of the current trial period, which usually falls at the end of June. Only then will Jackson be officially sworn in.
America’s ‘historic moment’
President Joe Biden invited Judge Jackson to the White House to watch the Senate vote on TV together. He later tweeted a joint selfie of the two of them smiling widely. Biden wrote: “The approval of Judge Jackson was a historic moment for our nation. We have taken another step to ensure that our Supreme Court reflects America’s diversity. She will be a great judge and I had the honor to share this moment with her.” Tweet.
– I’m the father of a young black girl. I know what it means to Judge Jackson that she has dealt with the double menace of racism and sexism to stand in glory now. The spectacle of Justice Jackson joining the Supreme Court reflects the promise of progress on which our democracy is built. Democrat Raphael Warnock, one of the three black senators, said it’s a great day for America on Thursday.
The Reuters news agency that of the 115 people who have sat on the US Supreme Court since its inception in 1789, all but three were white. The exceptions were two black justices: Clarence Thomas, appointed in 1991, who remains a member of the Supreme Court, and Thurgood Marshall, who retired in 1991, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor – the only Latino woman in SN history.
Ketanji Brown Jackson will be the sixth justice in the history of the US Supreme Court. Furthermore, it would be the first time that four women were sitting down at the same time.
Main image source: PAP / EPA / JOSHUA ROBERTS / POOL