"Absolutely no limits': Cape Codders react to Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation

Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed as the 116th Supreme Court justice Thursday afternoon by the Senate — the first Black woman to ever serve on America’s highest court.

The vote broke down 53-47; all 50 Democrats and 3 Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah — voted in favor of confirmation.

Robin Joyce Miller, a Cape-based artist, author, educator, public speaker and co-presenter of the Cotuit Center for the Arts series “Black Art Matters: Master Artists Tell Our Story,” described the confirmation as an “incredible moment in American history.”

Ketanji Brown Jackson: Confirmed by Senate as first Black woman on Supreme Court

“This is so important on several levels. But for young Black girls aspiring to law, there are absolutely no limitations. Justice KBJ broke the glass ceiling,” Miller said.

Cape Cod perspective

Jeanne Morrison, former assistant general manager of diversity and civil rights for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and current co-vice president of the League of Women Voters Cape Cod, said that Brown Jackson’s record simply “speaks for itself.”

“She’s obviously the cream of the crop,” Morrison said. Finally, after 233 years we appointed a Black woman to the highest court. This is another win for democracy, especially in these tumultuous times we’re in.”

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Morrison, who is a board member of the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition, the Cape Cod branch of the NAACP and the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission, also touched on the importance of representation for Black women, not just in the Supreme Court, but throughout all positions of power in America.

“Any great or strong nation is based on a reflection of its demographics in its legal and legislative bodies,” she said. “If we want to be a strong country, a united country, we need everyone to have a sense of belonging. When we start to get more inclusive, we’ll start to get more things right.”

John Reed, president of Cape Cod’s NAACP chapter, said that, in his opinion, Brown Jackson is overqualified for the position. He noted the importance of her varied experience as a lawyer, as she is the first justice in three decades who has spent time as a public defender.

“It’s another feather in our cap,” Reed said. “She’s an access point for folks to look to for real justice.”

He applauded Brown Jackson for her performance at her congressional confirmation hearings, which he referred to as “ridiculous at times.”

“It’s one thing to ask intelligent questions, but to sit there and ask a judge what a woman is is just ridiculous to me,” Reed said in reference to Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn asking that Brown Jackson provide a definition for the word “woman.”

“Some of them acted like clowns,” he said.

Cool under pressure

Miller also mentioned Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings and said she was “amazed” at how well the judge kept her cool under pressure.

“When I first became aware of Ketanji Brown Jackson, I was impressed,” she said. “However, after watching the hearings, I knew she was highly intelligent, experienced and poised for the position of Supreme Court Justice.”

She also said that she felt as though some of the lines of questioning, like Sen. Blackburn’s, were an attempt to “play to Trump’s base” to discredit Brown Jackson.

“They couldn’t get her on character, intelligence or experience,” she said. “Her credentials are impeccable.”

“It’s a no-brainer that Black excellence is a big part of American society,” Morrison said.

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Morrison said that she didn’t watch much of the hearings, partly because of her schedule, but also because she felt they were reminiscent of the 1991 Anita Hill hearings where Hill testified against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas on accusations of sexual harassment.

Reminder of Anita Hill

“It would have been too painful to watch because I felt like it was like what Anita Hill had to go through,” she said. “You know, she had to be on the world stage. Brown Jackson’s record is exceptional because as a Black woman, it had to be. I think it’s important to recognize now how important this is.”

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Morrison noted, however, that despite the “politicking” at the confirmation hearings that she felt was at times nonsensical, at the end of the day Brown Jackson came out on top.

“Her strength, character and academic and legal record persevered and got her through,” Morrison said. “This is the first of many. This is the American story, you know, and it should include people of color and women and other groups. Women of color are on the rise.”

Contact Sarah Carlon at scarlon@capecodonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Codders praise Ketanji Brown Jackson's high court confirmation