Ketanji Brown Jackson creates history as she becomes the first Black woman Justice of the US Supreme Court

Ketanji Brown Jackson creates history as she becomes the first Black woman Justice of the US Supreme Court

It had only white male judges for the past two centuries

Ketanji Brown Jackson has made history by becoming the first Black woman judge in the US Supreme Court.

Chief Justice John Roberts administered the Constitutional oath of office to Jackson in a short ceremony. This happened immediately after the end of the Court's term and the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer after nearly 28 years of service.

Justice Jackson, a former law clerk, was confirmed by the Senate to the Supreme Court in April in a 53-47 vote. Her ascension to the Court fulfils US President Joe Biden's campaign promise to appoint its first Black woman judge. Her rise to the Court will not change its ideological balance, as the newly expanded conservative majority retains its 6-to-3 majority.

The 51-year-old was previously a judge in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, following roles as a district court judge and on the US Sentencing Commission. She is also the Supreme Court's first former public defender.

Jackson's ascension comes amidst the turbulent times of the wavering public trust in the Supreme Court following a series of controversial rulings. The most notable is the recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that established the constitutional right to abortion in the US in 1973.

The Court has also drawn criticism for another controversial ruling that rolled back the gun control laws by striking down a New York law. The law placed strict restrictions on carrying concealed firearms in public for self-defence.