Biden celebrates appointment of 1st Black woman appointed to Supreme Court

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 08: US President Joe Biden on Friday celebrated the appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first African-American woman appointed to the Supreme Court. “America is a nation that can be defined in a single word,” said Biden in a speech at the White House. “In one word: possibilities… anything is possible” Jackson was confirmed following a 53-47 vote in the Senate on Thursday, which included three votes from Republican Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitt Romney. Biden acknowledged Jackson’s “painful and difficult confirmation process” during the Senate hearings, which turned ugly at times. “What Judge Jackson was put through was well beyond that,” said Biden. "There was verbal abuse: the anger, the constant interruptions, the most vile, baseless assertions and accusations." “In the face of it all, Judge Jackson showed the incredible character and integrity she possesses,” he added. Filling a potential Supreme Court vacancy with an African-American woman was one of Biden’s major campaign promises during the 2020 Presidential race. “When I made the commitment to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court, I could see this day,” said Biden. “When I decided to run, this was one of the first decisions I made… I could see it as a day of hope, a day of promise, a day of progress.” “It is the greatest honor of my life to be here with you at this moment,” Jackson said as the president handed the podium over to her.(Footage by Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)