An evening of history-making and community-building came together when Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson shared the story of another Black female first at the Supreme Court.
She spoke of Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman to argue cases before the Supreme Court, as an inspiration to pursue a career in law. “I had been interested in the law because of my dad, but here was a woman who was a judge,” Justice Jackson said. “I thought maybe I could be a judge.”
Motley was more than a participant, too, Jackson shared. She won nine out of her 10 cases before the court. Justice Jackson acknowledged that she was “not the first Black woman who could have done this job.”
But Justice Jackson is indeed the first Black woman Supreme Justice in U.S. history, taking her place as an Associate Justice in June 2022. She was in Philadelphia Saturday, before a crowd of about 4,000 people at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in North Philly, as she wrapped up a book tour for her memoir, “Lovely One,” hosted by Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson spoke to Fresh Air’s Tonya Mosley recently. Listen here.
“Lovely One” recounts the justice’s family history with segregation and her dedication to honoring her elders by seizing leadership opportunities in high school and attending Harvard University for college. The daughter of two public school teachers, she also writes about juggling her judicial career with marriage and motherhood.
The atmosphere in the sanctuary was festive as friends, families, and members of the historic Black Delta Sigma Theta sorority flooded the red and white sanctuary.
6ABC News anchor Tamala Edwards gave a heartwarming speech about her 30-year friendship with Justice Jackson, saying the justice “wants to be worthy of the moment,” the audience, and “the ancestors who walk with her.”
Justice Jackson fulfilled Edwards’ words as she captivated the room with her animated recounting of her appointment to the Supreme Court including the moment she signed the Bible of John Marshall Harlan, the lone dissenter in the historic case Plessy vs. Ferguson.
Justice Jackson told Edwards that she wrote her book to prove the path to serving on the highest court in America is “not linear.” Motherhood, she said, presented challenges to her ascent to the Supreme Court, as well as racial- and gender-based discrimination.
Alan Folkman, a 72-year-old Philly native, said his favorite part of the event was when Justice Jackson read her daughter Leila’s essay about being the younger sister of Talia, who was diagnosed with autism at age 12.
“It was so touching and so honest and so heartfelt,” he said. “Imagine growing up with parents like she did to be able to develop that way.”
Dr. Jacqueline Mayfield also appreciated Justice Jackson’s devotion to her family. The author and healthcare advocate was touched hearing about the family meeting before the justice accepted President Biden’s nomination.
“It was important to her to get her family’s buy-in, and especially her daughter [Talia] because she understood the gravity of exposure for her family,” said Mayfield. “I really respect her value system, that she’s not so driven by advancement and promotion, and it’s not selfish.”
Earlier in the evening, Mark Lamont Hill, the owner of Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books, welcomes the crowd, saying, “I’m glad y’all showed up and showed out to make this the biggest stop” for Justice Jackson’s book tour.
Hill expressed his gratitude to Rev. Alyn Waller, pastor of Enon Tabernacle, and Justin Moore, the general manager of Uncle Bobbie’s, for their collaboration. He also encouraged eventgoers to donate to Uncle Bobbie’s and support local Black businesses, before bringing Justice Jackson back to the center of the night’s attention.
“We are here to celebrate one of the most extraordinary women in American history,” he said.
That was obvious to all.
