Ketanji Brown Jackson will be sworn into the Supreme Court this afternoon, becoming the first Black woman justice in the court’s 232-year history.
Jackson was nominated by President Joe Biden following Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement announcement earlier this year. She was confirmed by the Senate in April after her nomination in February, which fulfilled Biden’s campaign promise to nominate a Black woman to the Court.
In a statement announcing her nomination, the White House applauded Jackson’s “exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character, and unwavering dedication to the rule of law.”
Her swearing in comes at a time when the Supreme Court is facing extreme scrutiny over a number of decisions handed down over the past week, including its vote to overturn and the legalization of concealed weapons nationwide. Just today, June 30, SCOTUS handed down a ruling which curbs the Environmental Protection Agency»s ability to regulate carbon emissions, inhibiting the White House’s efforts to fight climate change.
Jackson will join liberal justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, who, along with Breyer, voted against overturning Roe.
With Jackson’s appointment, the liberal minority is now exclusively made up of women. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the fourth woman on the Court, leans conservative and voted in favor of abolishing the constitutional protection of a woman’s right to choose.
Though Jackson’s addition to the court will not move the idealogical balance, her presence is seen by many as a symbol of hope.
