Ketanji Brown Jackson has been nominated to the US Supreme Court by President Joe Biden on Friday, 25 February, marking her the first Black woman to be named to a court that once declared her race unworthy of citizenship.
In addition to Clarence Thomas, Jackson would become the second Black Justice of the current court and the third in the history.
Her confirmation will also make her only the sixth woman on the court, where for the first time, four women will be sitting together in a panel of nine members. There are currently three women on the court, including the first Latina justice.
President Joe Biden is filling the seat that would be left vacant by Justice Stephen Breyer, 83, who will retire this summer.
Harvard Grad With Many Years in Washington
Jackson was born in Washington, DC, but grew up in Miami. Prior to earning her undergraduate and her law degree at Harvard, she was also a member of Miami Palmetto Senior High School's debate team.
Her prior experience as a clerk for Breyer and her work as a federal public defender at Washington, makes her a fitting candidate considering Biden's commitment to increasing the number of public defenders on federal benches.
The appellate judge previously served on the federal district court in Washington DC as an appointment of President Barack Obama, before she was elevated to the DC Circuit by Joe Biden last year.
In her speech, Jackson also conveys her thanks to Breyer saying that he showed her how a Supreme Court Justice can possess the greatest level of integrity and skill and still be guided by their civility, grace, and pragmatism.
"Justice Breyer, the members of the Senate will decide if I fill your seat, but please know that I could never fill your shoes."Ketanji Brown Jackson, reported CNN
Jackson comes from a background of public service. Her parents were also in public service and her brother was a police officer and military man. Two of her uncles served for decades as police officers and one of them also became the chief of police in her hometown, Miami.
(With inputs from CNN)
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