MADISON, Wis. — Today, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in as the newest member of the Supreme Court of the United States, making her the first ever Black woman to sit as a justice on the nation’s highest court, and setting a precedent on equality and representation that has been long overdue.
The following are statements from A Better Wisconsin Together Executive Director Chris Walloch:
“For generations, Black women have been locked out of the opportunity to serve on the Supreme Court, but now, a new day has finally dawned. Justice Jackson’s swearing-in could not have come at a more prudent time, as the current extremist majority of the court has shown that they have no issue ignoring the will of everyday Americans and taking away rights that we’ve been guaranteed in this country for nearly 50 years.
“It is the marginalized members of our communities, people of color, people with lower-incomes, and people who can become pregnant that will be hurt most by recent rulings made by the court. But it is these vulnerable groups that Justice Jackson – as a Black woman, a mother, and a former public defender – has and will continue to protect and support as she now sits on the highest court in the land.
“So many people across the nation and right here in Wisconsin have been working hard to create communities that are inclusive and equitable for all Americans. But, there’s still much more work to be done, and that’s why Justice Jackson is the right choice to serve as the Supreme Court’s newest justice.
“Justice Jackson is committed to the promise of liberty and justice for all, and will deliver on that promise for every American as she now becomes the sixth woman, and first ever Black woman, to sit on the United States Supreme Court.”
