As we start the transition from Black History Month to Women History Month, it is fitting that the first black woman has been nominated to the United States Supreme Court. The legal eagles of North Carolina Central University School of Law (NCCU SOL) are overjoyed by President Biden’s nomination of Judge Jackson to the United States Supreme Court. This is a great day for our country and for the Court. After a thoughtful process, President Biden selected a qualified, hard-working woman who is dedicated to the rule of law to serve on the highest court in the country. He could give no better gift to the Court. The decisions the Court makes have a profound impact on our daily lives. Thus, it is critically important that we have justices who are well-versed in the law and committed to public service. Judge Jackson possesses those traits. As a result, she is uniquely qualified to serve on the Court.
Judge Jackson received a quality legal education from Harvard Law School where she served as editor of the Harvard Law Review and graduated with honors. After law school, she further honed her legal skills by clerking for United States Supreme Court Justice Steven Breyer. Then, Judge Jackson developed practical legal skills and a solid understanding of the rule of law by practicing in the private and the public sectors. At NCCU, our motto is “Truth in Service.” Consequently, we are especially proud of the work Judge Jackson has done as a public servant. Her work as an attorney for the U.S. Sentencing Commission and as a federal public defender enabled her to understand the responsibility lawyers have to protect the rights of people while upholding the rule of law. Judge Jackson took those lessons with her when she became a federal judge, serving as a United States District Judge for the District of Columbia and in her current capacity as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
We understand the significance of this moment in history. A black woman has been nominated to the highest court in the land. A woman who looks like me and many of my students will be on the United States Supreme Court. Nonetheless, in the coming weeks, the only thing that should matter is that President Biden has nominated a respected federal judge who graduated from Harvard Law School and clerked for the United States Supreme Court to be a justice on the Court. Moreover, Judge Jackson has the preparation and the temperament to serve all citizens of the country and bring her unique perspective and experience in making extremely impactful decisions.