Celebrating Black History Month: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
Black History Month is a time to honor the giants whose courage and brilliance reshape what is possible in this country. This year, we celebrate a woman whose presence on the highest court in the land still feels extraordinary: Ketanji Brown Jackson.
When Justice Jackson was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, history shifted. But what makes her remarkable is not simply that she is the first. It is who she is, how she got there, and what she represents to so many of us watching.
Her story begins with parents who believed deeply in the power of education. They taught her to read before she was even two years old. From the very beginning, they instilled in her not only literacy, but also a strong sense of possibility. Her mother often told her, “If someone else can do it, then so can you.” Nothing was out of reach if she set her mind to it and was willing to put in the work.
That mindset guided her through every stage of her life.
She attended Harvard University for both college and law school, succeeding in spaces where few looked like her. The deep friendships she built there were instrumental to her success. She found a close-knit group of friends who supported one another both academically and personally. Her story is a reminder that greatness is rarely achieved alone; it is often nurtured through trust, encouragement, and shared ambition.
In her memoir, Lovely One, which she both wrote and narrates in the audiobook edition, Justice Jackson reflects on that journey with vulnerability and clarity. The title itself is deeply meaningful: “Ketanji Onyika” translates to “Lovely One.” The memoir traces her childhood, her family’s sacrifices, her academic journey, and the doubts and obstacles she encountered along the way. Reading it feels like sitting beside someone who understands both the weight of expectation and the quiet courage required to meet it.
What I admire most about Justice Jackson is her love for the law, not as an abstract discipline, but as a living instrument of justice. After clerking for Justice Stephen Breyer, she chose to serve as a public defender. She truly believes that every person deserves a rigorous defense and that the Constitution must apply equally to all.
Before her appointment to the Supreme Court, she served as a federal district court judge and later on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. In each role, she demonstrated intellectual precision, fairness, and independence. Now, as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, she helps decide cases that shape the fabric of American life. Cases involving affirmative action, voting rights, federal authority, and constitutional interpretation. Whether in majority opinions or powerful dissents, her voice is clear, principled, and grounded in careful reasoning.
During Black History Month, we celebrate pioneers who cracked doors open. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson did more than walk through a door - she expanded the frame. She carries with her generations of resilience and possibility. She stands as proof that brilliance, discipline, and compassion belong at the center of American justice. Many of us look up to her, and not simply because she reached the Supreme Court, but because of how she reached it: with integrity, courage, and an unwavering belief in the rule of law.
This month, and every month, we celebrate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, “Lovely One”, a remarkable jurist and an extraordinary human being.
