Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation: Minnesota attorney on significance

article

U.S. President Joe Biden and Ketanji Brown Jackson, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court nominee, watch the results of the Senate vote on her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U. (Joshua Roberts/Sipa/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

Expand

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The United States saw a historic vote Thursday on Capitol Hill as the first Black woman was confirmed to the nation's highest court.

A Twin Cities attorney weighed in on the significance of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation on Thursday.

"My reaction was... this is a stunning moment," says attorney Lateesa Ward of Ward and Wilson Law Firm.

Ward practices law in the Twin Cities and the state of Michigan. A litigator in cases ranging from negligence to family law, her career spanning decades.

She reflects on the significance of this appointment. "As an attorney and as a Black female, there are a lot of challenges just being female, being African American, and the history of the country. So with this historic moment, it speaks volumes to us as women, as Black women to our daughters, and to our sons," says Ward.

A photo captures President Biden and Judge Jackson as the votes came in. Ward says, "Really there are no words to describe how this feels."

A two-time Harvard graduate, Judge Jackson will be the third African American to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. She'll replace Justice Stephen Breyer who will retire.

A history maker, Ward says that Judge Jackson is an inspiration. "Our young people get to look to her. They get to look to her, and they will be very inspired by her as I am. I think that she is an extremely heavyweight and she's going to do an amazing job for this country," says Ward.

U.S Supreme Court Justices serve lifetime appointments on the court. Judge Jackson, who is 51, will be sworn in this summer.