Confirmation Hearings For The First Black Woman Nominated to the Supreme Court Begin Monday

The historic confirmation hearings for the first African American woman nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court will bring together women and men from around the nation to support what many consider long overdue.

When President Biden announced the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, he made good on another campaign promise: to “choose the first Black woman ever nominated to the Supreme Court.”

“I am very pleased that our President is living up to his commitment to include Black woman in the nation’s highest level of government,” said Carolyn Kennedy, Executive Director of the BSI/Africa Diaspora Directorate.

Kennedy is joined by many others in her excitement.

Last week 100 Black male law school deans and professors released a letter of support.

“We unanimously applaud and endorse, without reservation, President Joe Biden’s nomination of Judge Jackson, who is truly one of our nation’s brightest legal minds. From Judge Jackson’ breathtaking credentials as an extraordinary jurist to her unimpeachable character and unwavering integrity, we believe that she is eminently qualified to fill this historic position,” read the letter.

A similar letter written by 200 Black women law professors was made public in late February, shortly after Jackson’s nomination was announced. The National Council of Jewish Women has also endorsed her along with the Fraternal Order of Police, calling her “fair and consistent.”

Jackson wrapped up meetings last week with 44 senators and all 22 members of the Judiciary Committee. When the hearings begin on Monday, she will address the committee and two supporters will also speak. Those have not been announced at this time. When Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation hearings began, both senators from Indiana spoke. But Jackson lives in the District of Columbia which does not have representation in the U.S. Senate.

Brown Jackson was appointed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2021 and was a law clerk for Breyer. She has been a public defender, a trial judge and a member of the Sentencing Commission. The White House hopes for bi-partisan support and three Republicans did vote for Jackson when she was confirmed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. But if there are no Republican votes to confirm her to the Supreme Court, Vice-President Kamala Harris, who is also an African American woman, would cast the tie-breaking vote.

The confirmation hearing will allow each member of the Judiciary Committee an opportunity to question Jackson. On the final day of the proceedings, the American Bar Association and other witnesses will weigh in.

Judge Jackson is married to physician Dr. Patrick Jackson, and they have two daughters.