Ketanji Brown Jackson made history today after she was confirmed to the supreme court.
Jackson is now the first Black woman to serve as a justice on the high court in a history spanning more than two centuries.
Jackson managed to secure bipartisan support — 53 to 47, with all Democrats in favor. Senators Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, were the only Republicans to vote in favor of her confirmation.
On Friday, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Jackson will deliver remarks to celebrate the confirmation. Harris presided over the Senate during the final vote.
“On this vote, the yays are 53. The nays are 47 and this nomination is confirmed,” Harris said as the Senate cheered on.
Biden was eager to celebrate the historic nomination.
“Judge Jackson’s confirmation was a historic moment for our nation. We’ve taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America. She will be an incredible justice, and I was honored to share this moment with her,” he tweeted.
Jackson, a Harvard graduate, currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Washington circuit. During her time at Harvard, she led protests against a student who draped a Confederate flag from his dorm window and once served as the Harvard Law Review editor. She has clerked for three federal judges in the past, including Justice Breyer from 1999 to 2000.
“Today, we are taking a giant, bold and important step on the well-trodden path to fulfilling our country’s founding promises,” Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the final vote. “This is a great moment for Judge Jackson. But it is an even greater moment for America as we rise to a more perfect union.”
