WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden nominated federal appeals court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court on Friday.
"I’m proud to announce that I am nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the Supreme Court," the president said. "Currently serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, she is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds and will be an exceptional Justice."
Druing the announcement, he described Judge Jackson as someone who has "pragmatism, historical perspective, wisdom, character."
I’m proud to announce that I am nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the Supreme Court. Currently serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, she is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds and will be an exceptional Justice.https://t.co/iePvhz1YaA pic.twitter.com/Nzqv2AtN8h
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 25, 2022
In selecting Jackson, Biden delivers on a campaign promise, moving to further diversify a court that was made up entirely of white men for almost two centuries.
Jackson began her remarks Friday by accepting the nomination.
"I am truly humbled by the extraordinary honor of this nomination," she said.
Jackson is an attorney who possesses the type of elite legal background found in other high court justices, but who's worked as a public defender.
If confirmed, she'd fill the seat on the nine-member court that will be vacated by Justice Stephen Breyer.
He's retiring at the end of the term.
The Associated Press reported that Jackson, earlier in her legal career, once worked as one of Breyer’s law clerks.
Jackson had a message for Justice Breyer when she accepted the nomination Friday, saying "I could never fill your shoes."
She would be the current court’s fourth woman and second Black justice.
Her confirmation would also mark for the first time in history that four women would sit together on the nine-member court.