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Why did President Joe Biden pledge to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court?
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Ketanji Brown Jackson
United States Supreme Court justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, 2022.
President Joe Bidenâs pledge to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court was an effort to address historical racial and gender imbalances on the Court.1
This commitment, which originated as a campaign promise, was reiterated by Biden following the announcement of Justice Stephen Breyerâs retirement in 2022. While the move drew criticism from some who argued it mirrored the very discrimination it sought to rectify, others viewed it as an important step toward ensuring that the judiciary more accurately represents the population it serves.1
Ultimately, this pledge led to the nomination and subsequent confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, who replaced Breyer as a justice on the Court.1