IT’S OFFICIAL: Ketanji Brown Jackson SWORN IN As The First Black Female Justice On The U.S. Supreme Court

Posted on by theYBF

It’s official! Ketanji Brown Jackson was just sworn in as the first Black female justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court! Celebrate inside….

 

The United States has a new Supreme Court Justice!

Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in to the Supreme Court today, making HERstory as the first Black woman on the nation’s highest court.

President Biden nominated the 51-year-old U.S. appeals court judge to become the 116th associate justice to succeed Justice Stephen Breyer, for whom she clerked. The 83-year-old judge – who is considered to be the most senior jurist in the court’s three-member liberal wing – announced in January he has plans to retire this Summer.

And trust, she didn’t get the nomination simply because she’s a Black woman. The American Bar Association, which evaluates judicial nominees, gave Judge Jackson its highest rating, “well qualified.” And multiple elite organizations as well as hundreds of black deans of law schools, judges and lawyers, signed letters to Congress confirming her pristine qualifications, urging the Senate to confirm her expeditiously.

On April 7th, she was confirmed by the Senate in a 53-47 vote.

Justice Jackson recited two oaths required of Supreme Court justices, one administered by Stephen Breyer and the other by Chief Justice John Roberts. Watch Justice Jackson being sworn in below:

Not only is she the first Black female Supreme Court justice, but she’s also the first justice in decades with any significant experience representing criminal defendants since she previously served as a federal public defender.. The last justice with any real experience as a defense lawyer in criminal cases was Justice Thurgood Marshall, who is the first African American justice to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States

Also, it’s the first time in judicial history that four women will serve together on the nine-member court. She joins Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett.

“Although we celebrate her today, one Black woman or a cohort of Black women can’t save this democracy alone. We are a piece of it and we are doing our work, our part. She’s going to forever reshape and shape that court. But she’s just a piece of the work that needs to happen moving forward,” said Glynda Carr, president of Higher Heights for America.

Social media has been LIT UP with congratulatory messages to our new Justice:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During her speech at the White House after her historic confirmation she said, ”It has taken 232 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. But we’ve made it. We’ve made it. All of us.” 

Yes we did. CONGRATS Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson!

Photo: Supreme Court via AP

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