Photo courtesy of The White House.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated for the 116th Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court on Feb. 25. President Joe Biden nominated Judge Jackson in a ceremony at The White House.
In a statement released by The White House, the President wrote that he chose to nominate Jackson because she embodied “exceptional credentials” and “unimpeachable character.”
The statement noted Biden chose a candidate with “exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character, and unwavering dedication to the rule of law. And the President sought an individual who is committed to equal justice under the law and who understands the profound impact that the Supreme Court’s decisions have on the lives of the American people.”
The Judge was born in Washington D.C. but grew up in Miami, Fla., where her parents spent their careers as teachers and leaders for the Miami-Dade Public School System. Judge Jackson graduated from Harvard University magna cum laude. She also graduated from Harvard Law School cum laude.
The 51-year-old lives in Washington D.C. with her children and husband, Patrick Jackson, a surgeon. The couple reportedly met while they were both attending Harvard University.
She and her husband were married in 1996 and had two daughters, 17-year-old Leila and Lalia, 21. Judge Jackson is a federal appeals court judge in D.C., while Dr. Jackson is a surgeon at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Jackson began her career as a clerk for the Justice she’s replacing, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. She was appointed to the federal district court by the nation’s first Black President, Barack Obama. The former President congratulated Judge Jackson with a public statement.
“I want to congratulate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on her nomination to the Supreme Court,” wrote Mr. Obama. “Judge Jackson has already inspired young Black women like my daughters to set their sights higher, and her confirmation will help them believe they can be anything they want to be.”
Judge Jackson thanked God, President Biden, the nation’s first Black woman Vice President Kamala Harris and her family. She also referenced the first Black woman nominated as a federal judge, the Honorable Constance Baker Motley.
“As it happens, I share a birthday with the first Black woman ever to be appointed as a federal judge: the Honorable Constance Baker Motley. We were born exactly 49 years to the day apart,” she said. “Today, I proudly stand on Judge Motley’s shoulders, sharing not only her birthday but also her steadfast and courageous commitment to equal justice under law…. Thank you again, Mr. President, for this extraordinary honor.”
Her nomination was also supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, who also issued a statement of support. The Judge has an uncle who was a police chief in Miami. She also has another uncle who was a police officer and a brother who served as a police detective in Baltimore.
If confirmed, she will be the first Black woman U.S. Supreme Court Justice.