Confirmation in the US Senate: First black female Supreme Court judge

For the first time, a black woman becomes a judge on the US Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the post. President Biden proposed her in February – and spoke of a “historic candidate”.

Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first black woman to become a Supreme Court justice. The US Senate confirmed her to the US Supreme Court with 53 out of 100 votes. Three moderate Republicans voted with the Democrats.

At the end of February, US President Joe Biden nominated the 51-year-old for the post. He called Jackson one of “our country’s brightest lawyers” and a “historic candidate”.

Conservative majority remains

Jackson replaces Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. Breyer’s departure from the court gave Biden his first seat on the Supreme Court. However, nothing will change in the composition of the court – it remains a conservative majority.

Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump had placed three judges on the Supreme Court, so that six of the nine judges are currently considered conservative. The court makes important decisions on contentious issues such as abortion, immigration laws or marriage for all.