Ketanji Brown Jackson Becomes First Black Female Justice to Sit on Supreme Court

The U.S. Senate voted 53-47 to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Thursday, making history as the first Black women Supreme Court Justice.

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Jackson will be joining Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor on the liberal side of the court, both of whom are also notable for their dissents.

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Vice President Kamala Harris took the gavel in her role as head of the Senate to preside over the vote. Leaving the Senate after the vote, Harris said she was "overjoyed."

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On Friday, Biden, Harris and Jackson will deliver remarks on the historic Senate vote at 12:15 p.m. ET at the White House.

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Jackson was born Ketanji Onyika Brown on September 14, 1970, in Washington, D.C. Her parents were both graduates of historically Black colleges and universities.

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On July 23, 2009, Barack Obama nominated Jackson to become vice chair of the United States Sentencing Commission

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Justice Brown Jackson will take office once Justice Breyer retires in June 2022.

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