NEWARK, NJ – U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne, Jr., (D-Newark) is praising President Joe Biden’s historic nomination of U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. When confirmed, Judge Brown Jackson will become the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, fulfilling a campaign promise that President Biden made two years ago and marking significant progress in making the Supreme Court more diverse and representative of the American people.

“President Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson represents a historic moment in our nation’s history and a recognition of the contributions Black women have made to our country, our communities, our families and our society,” said Congressman Payne.

 “Ever since my mother died at a young age, I have held a special place in my heart for Black women and consciously worked to raise them up and do what I could to grant them the opportunities for advancement that they deserve and are so often denied. Ketanji Brown Jackson has a tremendous record not just as a jurist, but as a public defender and a legal scholar who has studied the harmful effects that systemic racism in the judiciary have on Black and Brown communities, making her perspective on the Supreme Court incredibly valuable. Her nomination is the culmination of decades of advocacy, and proof that President Biden is a man of his word and someone our community can truly count on and consider a strong ally. I am thrilled about this nomination and urge the U.S. Senate to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as soon as possible.”