Ketanji Brown Jackson (b.1970). Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Appointed by President Joe Biden in 2022, she is the first Black woman to serve on the Court.
Early Life and Education
Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., to parents who were both public school teachers. Her family later moved to Miami, Florida, where she attended public schools. In high school, she excelled in debate and speech competitions.
She enrolled at Harvard University in 1988, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard-Radcliffe College in 1992. She then attended Harvard Law School, graduating with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 1996.
Legal Career
After law school, Jackson pursued a distinguished legal career, including:
- Clerkships: She held three federal clerkships, including one with U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer (1999–2000).
- Private Practice: Worked at law firms, specializing in litigation and appellate law.
- Public Service:
- Attorney at the U.S. Sentencing Commission (2003–2005)
- Federal Public Defender (2005–2007), representing indigent defendants
- Returned to the U.S. Sentencing Commission as a vice chair (2010–2014)
Judicial Career
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (2013–2021): Appointed by President Barack Obama.
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2021–2022): Appointed by President Joe Biden.
- Supreme Court of the United States (2022–present): Nominated by Biden following Justice Breyer’s retirement. She was confirmed by the Senate in a 53–47 vote and took her judicial oath on June 30, 2022, becoming the 116th justice and the first Black woman on the Court.
Personal Life
Jackson is married to Dr. Patrick Jackson, a surgeon, and they have two daughters.
See Also
- List of United States Supreme Court Justices
- Stephen Breyer
- Joe Biden Supreme Court nominations