Biden nominates Jackson, first Black woman, to Supreme Court

President Joe Biden on Feb. 25 nominated federal appeals court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, the first Black woman selected to serve on a court that once declared her race unworthy of citizenship and endorsed American segregation.

Introducing Jackson at the White House, Biden declared, "I believe it's time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation."
With his nominee standing alongside, the president praised her as having "a pragmatic understanding that the law must work for the American people." He said, "She strives to be fair, to get it right, to do justice."
In Jackson, Biden delivered on a campaign promise to make the historic appointment and further diversify a court that was made up entirely of white men for almost two centuries.

He also chose an attorney who would be the high court's first former public defender, though she possesses the elite legal background of other justices as well.
Jackson would be the current court's second Black member _ Clarence Thomas, a conservative, is the other _ and just the third in history. She would replace liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, 83, who is retiring at the end of the term this summer, so she won't change the court's 6-3 conservative majority.
Jackson would join the court as it weighs cutbacks to abortion rights and will be considering ending affirmative action in college admissions and restricting voting rights efforts to increase minority representation.
She would be only the sixth woman to serve on the court, but she would join three others already there, including the first Latina, Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

In brief remarks, Jackson thanked Biden, saying she was "humbled by the extraordinary honor of this...