Meghan Markle celebrates Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic Supreme Court nomination

‘The civil rights history of tomorrow is being written today,’ Duchess of Sussex says

(AFP via Getty Images)

Meghan Markle has applauded Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for being nominated to the United States Supreme Court.

On Friday, President Joe Biden nominated Jackson, 51, to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman nominee.

In honour of the history-making nomination, Markle, 40, celebrated Jackson in an essay written with Anita Hill for URL. In the essay, Hill, a professor at Brandeis University, noted how, in light of the nomination, she “thought of moments in modern history where Black women of stature and credential entered arenas once thought to be inaccessible,” which she noted also includes Meghan’s accomplishments.

Regarding the Duchess of Sussex, Hill added: “While her role over the past few years hasn’t been that of a federal judge or elected official, I couldn’t help but see a measure of parallelism given her experience navigating uncharted territory as a Black woman.”

To Hill, Markle spoke of how Jackson has “opened new grounds” for women in America and reflected on “Black achievement” as “a fabric woven into the entire chronicle of the American story”,

“The civil rights history of tomorrow is being written today,” she told Hill. “Judge Jackson’s nomination has opened new ground for women’s representation at the highest level of a judicial system that for too long has tilted against the very community she hails from.

“For the millions of young women who will rightfully find inspiration from this moment, let’s remind ourselves that Black achievement is something that exists not just today or yesterday, and not just in moments of celebration, but as a fabric woven into the entire chronicle of the American story,” she added.

As noted on The White House’s official website, Jackson is a former public defender and served as a United States District Judge for the District of Columbia from 2013 to 2021, after being appointed by President Obama in 2012. With bipartisan support, Jackson was confirmed to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit in 2021.

When Biden announced Jackson’s nomination on 25 February, he noted how impressed he was by her professional and personal story.

“Her parents grew up with segregation, but never gave up hope that their children would enjoy the true promise of America,” he said, according to CNN.

“Her opinions are always carefully reasoned, tethered to precedent and demonstrate respect for how the law impacts everyday people,” he continued. “It doesn’t mean she puts her thumb on the scale of justice one way or the other. But she understands the broader impacts of her decisions, whether it’s cases addressing the rights of workers or government service. She cares about making sure that our democracy works for the American people.”