For the first time in American history, a Black woman will be seated on the US Supreme Court. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed as the 116th Supreme Court Justice on Thursday (April 7), in a historic Senate Floor vote.
Justice Jackson, 51, was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Florida before attending Harvard University and the Harvard School of Law. She is the only Supreme Court Justice that has also served as a public defender. Last month, the mother of two endured 30 hours of questioning from Senators over the course of four days in a grueling series of confirmation hearings.
“Brilliant. Beloved. Belongs,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said describing Jackson in remarks ahead of the Floor vote.
Photo: Getty Images
“This is a wonderful day, a joyous day and an inspiring day, for the Senate, for the Supreme Court and for the United States of America,” Schumer said. This is also the first time in the Court’s 200-year history that white males won’t make up the majority on the bench.
Despite several Republicans publicly stating they would not be supporting Jackson, the newly-confirmed justice picked up some bipartisan support in the chamber’s general Floor vote, clutching the confirmation in a 53-47 vote.
Photo: Getty Images
After the historic confirmation, Judge Jackson won’t be sworn in until after Justice Stephen Breyer officially retires, which is expected to be at the end of the Court’s term this summer.
Photo: Getty Images
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan released a statement on the confirmation and said, “It’s about time.”
“The US Senate’s confirmation today of Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice is a major step forward in our nation’s journey toward becoming ‘a more perfect union,'” he said.
“Justice Brown Jackson demonstrated during her often brutal confirmation hearings that she has the strength, integrity, intelligence, wisdom and demeanor to serve on our nation’s highest court. She forever will be an inspiration to young women of color and all young Americans who aspire to do great things,” Duggan added. “President Biden deserves enormous credit for having now given the United States its first women of color as Vice President and Associate Supreme Court Justice in its nearly 250-year history.”
Michigan Chronicle Staff Writer Sherri Kolade contributed to this report.
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