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The Andrew Goodman Foundation applauds President Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States on Friday, February 25, 2022. Making good on a campaign promise, President Biden is also helping to make history, as Jackson would be the first Black woman and first public defender to become a justice in the entire history of the highest court in our nation. 

Jackson’s nomination comes after an already illustrious career and education as a jurist on both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the D.C. District Court, a public defender, a clerk for the retiring Justice Stephen Breyer (whose seat she would fill), and a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School. Jackson would not only bring vast experience to her role as a justice, but also an invaluable perspective that Americans need on the bench. 

Confirming Jackson to the Supreme Court would make our judicial system more representative for all Americans, a significant step toward making justice in America for everyone. For Black women across the United States, including the young Black women in our own Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program and HBCU Cohort, Jackson’s confirmation symbolizes representation and belonging. For anyone who has fought or is still fighting for change, it’s an inspirational moment to witness.

In 1964, Andrew Goodman, James Earl Chaney, and Michael Schwerner fought for moments like this. They died while trying to make our democracy more inclusive, particularly for Black Americans. Their sacrifice and the sacrifice of so many activists like them contributed to the ability, today, for people to claim their power and take an equal place, including on the Supreme Court. For Andy, James, Michael, and our Andrew Goodman Ambassadors, and in the name of an inclusive democracy, The Andrew Goodman Foundation urges the United States Senate to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.