In honor of Women’s History Month coming to a close, let’s talk about a woman who is currently making history right now—Ketanji Brown Jackson.
President Joe Biden nominated Jackson to fill the open seat on the Supreme Court (made available due to Justice Stepehn Breyer’s retirement) and if confirmed, she would become the first Black woman on the Court.
Some have questioned her whether it is her capabilities or affirmative action that got her this nomination. Whether or not race and/or gender played a role is known by President Biden only, but what we know for sure is that she has had a lengthy and honorable legal career. In the field of law, Jackson has:
- Earned a law degree from Harvard University
- Clerked for two federal judges
- Worked as an assistant federal public defender
- Served as vice chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission
- Sat on the District of Columbia Circuit Court
These are just a few of the things she has accomplished to-date, but it is evident that she has had many experiences that make her well-suited to be a justice.
Since the establishment of the Supreme Court itself, it has not gone unnoticed that the justices have primarily been White men. According to the Smithsonian, “of the 120 justices to serve on the highest national court since its creation, 115 have been men and 117 have been white.” Given the Court’s tremendous amount of power over societal progress, it is crucial that we continue to push for more diversity and representation in not just the government, but also every sector of life.