Ketanji Brown Jackson Sworn In As Supreme Court Justice

Ketanji Brown Jackson made history, when she became the first Black woman to be sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice, after Justice Stephen Breyer officially resigned.

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June 30, 2022 12:10PM EDT
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Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, a U.S. Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, poses for a portrait, Friday, Feb., 18, 2022, in her office at the court in Washington Supreme Court Vacancy, Washington, United States - 18 Feb 2022
In this image from video provided by the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts administers the Constitutional Oath to Ketanji Brown Jackson as her husband Patrick Jackson holds the Bible at the Supreme Court in Washington Supreme Court Jackson, Washington, United States - 30 Jun 2022
In this image from video provided by the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts administers the Constitutional Oath to Ketanji Brown Jackson as her husband Patrick Jackson holds the Bible at the Supreme Court in Washington Supreme Court Jackson, Washington, United States - 30 Jun 2022
Image Credit: Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice on Thursday, June 29. She was sworn in nearly three months after being confirmed by the Senate back in April. She was made an official member of the Supreme Court after Justice Stephen Breyer retired on Thursday. Jackson, 51, is the first Black woman to ever serve on the Court. Chief Justice John Roberts and Breyer both administered oaths for Jackson during the ceremony at noon, making her an official Supreme Court Justice.

After the oaths were finished, Roberts welcomed her, and she received a round of applause. “Now, on behalf of all the members of the court, I’m pleased to welcome Justice Jackson to the Court and to our common calling,” he said.

Ketanji is sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice. (Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock)

Breyer notified President Joe Biden that his retirement would go into effect in a letter on Wednesday, June 29. In the letter, he wrote that he’d first notified the president of his plans in January, and he wrote that it’s now time for Jackson to take his seat. “You have nominated and the United States Senate has confirmed the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson to succeed me in the office, and I understand that she is prepared to take the prescribed oaths to begin her service as the 116th member of this Court,” he wrote. “It has been my great honor to participate as a judge in the effort to maintain our Constitution and the Rule of Law.”

Jackson was announced as Biden’s nomination for the Supreme Court back in February. After a series of intense questioning, Jackson was confirmed by Supreme Court on April 7. Jackson watched the confirmation with Biden, and she later gave an inspirational speech, accepting the nomination, showing that she was ready to take her seat after Breyer retired. “It took just one generation to go from segregation to the Supreme Court of the United States,” she said in the speech, where she also thanked her husband, daughters, and more family members for their support.

Jackson giving her speech after she was confirmed in April. (Andrew Harnik/AP/Shutterstock)

While Brown’s appointment is historic, it does not affect the stance of the Court, as there is still a majority of Republican-appointed Justices, with six judges being appointed by right-wing presidents, and only three have been appointed by Democrats.