A Historic Moment: Biden to nominate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is a former public defender and current judge on a powerful Appeals Court circuit. At 51, she would also be the second-youngest justice on the current Court. 

BROOKLYN (Feb. 25, 2022) –Glynda C. Carr, President and CEO of Higher Heights for America issued the following statement on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson by President Biden to serve as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court: 

“We commend President Biden’s historic nomination of the first Black woman to the Supreme Court. By all accounts, Judge Jackson’s accomplished, exceptionally well equipped for this role, and well-respected by her peers. The President has selected a nominee with a distinguished record of professional accomplishments such as Judge Jackson’s. Her impressive personal biography signals that she understands how the law affects everyday people’s lives. There is a great deal at stake for the country with the appointment of the next Justice and having a Black woman’s voice on the bench is pivotal.   

 “Nominated to serve as the fifth woman and first African American woman on the Supreme Court in the history of the United States, Judge Jackson will serve the nation with distinction. This is a historic moment in the court’s progress toward diversity. Judge Jackson brings a lifelong commitment to equality, opportunity, and fairness. President Biden said he wanted a justice with “character” and someone who is “courteous to the folks before them and treating people with respect,” and he found both qualities in Judge Jackson.”

“Black women have shown how powerful our activism and organizing can be in politics, yet we are still grossly underrepresented in leadership on every level. There are currently zero Black women on the Supreme Court, zero Black women in the Senate, zero Black women Governors, and zero Black women who have ever served as President of this country. This is not about a political payback; in a little more than a year of being in office, President Biden and Vice President Harris have demonstrated that they recognize the value of diversity in their administration and have been living out that truth in the selections that they have made. There is no doubt that Black women are uniquely qualified to lead in these roles, and this nomination addresses a major gap in representation. Our country’s leadership should be fully reflective of the people it serves, beginning with our nation’s highest court, and Judge Jackson’s voice will be that long-overdue representation.” 

We look forward to her transparent, fair and timely confirmation by the United States Senate.”