On Friday, President Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, elevating a well-regarded federal appeals court judge who if confirmed would make history by becoming the first Black woman to serve as a justice and just the third African American in the high court’s 233-year history (White House announcement available here).
"For too long, our government, our courts haven't looked like America," Biden said at the White House as he introduced Jackson. "I believe it's time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications, and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level."
A former public defender, Judge Jackson served eight years as a federal trial judge in Washington D.C. before her current position on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She also served on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, which sets guidelines for federal judges to follow in imposing punishments in criminal cases. She helped reduce the recommended penalties for nonviolent drug offenders. She was a law clerk for Justice Stephen G. Breyer in 1999.
Jackson's experiences working as a public defender and vice chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission give her a unique background compared to the sitting high court justices.
If confirmed, Jackson would become the first Black woman to serve on the court. At 51, she would also be the second-youngest justice on the current court (Justice Amy Coney Barrett turned 50 in January) and the first justice since Thurgood Marshall with significant experience as a defense lawyer.
If confirmed, she would join a bench that includes Justices Clarence Thomas and Sonia Sotomayor, meaning a third of the court for the first time would be made up of people of color.