Jackson hopes nomination 'will inspire future generations of Americans'

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first ever Black woman picked to serve on the nation's highest court, said Friday that she hopes her path “will inspire future generations of Americans.”

“If I’m fortunate enough to be confirmed as the next associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, I could only hope that my life and career, my love of this country and the Constitution and my commitment to upholding the rule of law and the sacred principles upon which this great nation was founded, will inspire future generations of Americans,” Jackson said at a White House event, flanked by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Biden, speaking before Jackson, introduced his nominee as an “independent mind,” a “consensus builder” and a “distinguished jurist.” The president, who promised during the 2020 Democratic primary to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court should he have a vacancy to fill, said it’s time to have a court that looks like America and reflects the “greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary talents.”

Jackson, 51, was long rumored the leading contender to replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who announced last month that he would retire at the end of the Supreme Court's current term, pending his successor's confirmation. Jackson was confirmed last summer by the Senate to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, widely considered the second most important court in the country.

In her remarks on Friday, Jackson noted that she shares a birthday with Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman to serve as a federal judge. The two barrier-breaking women were born 49 years apart to the day.

“Today I proudly stand on Judge Motley’s shoulders, sharing not only her birthday, but also her steadfast and courageous commitment to equal justice under law,” she said.