All Rise for Ketanji Brown Jackson!

The clocks struck noon on June 30th, 2022. History was about to be made. People in the U.S., and many others around the world, were glued to their TV sets, their computers and mobile devices as they watched and waited. Ketanji Brown Jackson laid her left hand on a smooth, black Bible. She raised her right hand as she repeated the Judicial Oath. And with that, in front of her friends and family, Ketanji became the first Black, woman justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Early years

It was like a dream come true. Ketanji, whose name means “lovely one,” had always wanted to become a lawyer and even a judge. And now she is one of the most important judges in the country! 

She was born on September 14, 1970. Both of her parents were teachers. Though Brown Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., she and her family soon moved to Florida.

She joined her school’s speech and debate team. She practiced using her words to persuade people. Her debate coach helped her to see that she could reach for her dreams.

“It really was the high school debate coach who took an interest in me and encouraged me,” Brown Jackson said.

She was also her class president and voted “most likely to succeed.” Everyone knew she had a bright future.

College, law school, and being a lawyer

Brown Jackson went to Harvard University after high school. She studied how the U.S. government works. She thought that judges weren’t always fair and wanted to understand how the courts could make better judgements.

Getting a law degree was important, but it wasn’t the only part of Brown Jackson’s education. She worked as a clerk, a person in charge of the records and reports, for three different judges after she finished law school. Part of a clerk’s job is to help judges do research for their cases and write their decisions. She learned all she could while working for these judges.

“Be open to new ideas and experiences,” said Brown. “You’ll never know when someone else will have an interesting thought or when a new door will open to take you on the journey of your dreams.”

After graduation, Brown Jackson worked as a lawyer. Sometimes she worked for the government. Sometimes she worked for different businesses. She was always concerned about making trials and judgements fair.

Then Brown Jackson’s career took a different turn.

Appointed a judge

President Barack Obama nominated Brown Jackson to be a federal judge in Washington D.C. on September 20, 2012. The U.S. Constitution gives every citizen the right to a trial before a judge and jury. As a federal judge, Brown Jackson’s role would be to apply the laws of the United States to many different cases.

But President Obama’s nomination wasn’t enough for Brown Jackson to become a judge. The U.S. Senate also had to vote to confirm her. Unfortunately, the senate didn’t vote. President Obama wasn’t discouraged. He nominated her again in January, 2013. This time, the senate voted that Brown Jackson should be a judge.

She did a good job with her decisions. People trusted her judgments. The path was set to the highest court in the country: the U.S. Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Justice

The U.S. Supreme Court has the final ruling over any court in the country. It always has nine judges. After one of the judges retired, President Joe Biden needed to name a replacement. He chose Ketanji Brown Jackson. 

President Biden said that Brown Jackson had a “uniquely accomplished and wide-ranging background” that helped her be a good judge.

In order to become a Supreme Court judge, Brown Jackson went before the senate and spoke about her background and career. The senate agreed that she would be a good Supreme Court judge. She was sworn in on June 30, 2022.

“I hope to inspire people to try to follow this path because I love this country, because I love the law, because I think it is important that we all invest in our future,” Brown Jackson said. “The young people are the future. And so, I want them to know that they can do and be anything.”

Ketanji Brown Jackson had always known she wanted to be a judge. Now she has reached the highest court in the country. She plans on always fighting to make sure the law treats everyone fairly.