Ketanji Brown Jackson has been confirmed as the next US Supreme Court Justice, becoming the first Black woman in history to hold the position.
Applause broke out on the Senate floor as Vice President Kamala Harris announced the ayes had it.
This is an historic day for the United States and follows President Joe Biden’s election promise to nominate a Black woman, seeking to further diversify the federal judiciary.
In a vote of 53 to 47, three Republicans joined the Democrats to confirm the nomination… with the whole process remaining severely partisan.
Jackson will take the position of 83-year-old Justice Breyer, with Breyer stepping down at the end of the current term around June.
However, despite Jackson’s expected liberal standpoint, the court will remain conservative… with a 6 to 3 majority.
The US Supreme Court holds a significant amount of power and influence over the nation, shaping American policy on issues including abortion, guns, voting laws and LGBTQ rights.
There have been 115 Supreme Court Justices since its establishment in 17-89, and during that time, all but three judges been white.
