The Senate in a historic vote today confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court (article available here). When sworn in this summer, Judge Jackson will be the first Black woman to serve on the nation's high court. Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the Senate during the historic vote to confirm Jackson.
All 50 Senate Democrats, including the two independents who caucus with them, voted for Jackson's confirmation. They were joined by three Republicans: Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Judge Jackson, 51, served eight years as a federal trial court judge and last June was confirmed for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Prior to becoming a judge, Jackson worked as a federal public defender. Once confirmed, Jackson will be first Supreme Court justice since Thurgood Marshall to have represented indigent criminal defendants.
After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1996, she went on to clerk for Justice Stephen Breyer — who she will replace on the high court when Breyer formally retires this summer.