‘A step closer to justice’: Black women on Ketanji Brown Jackson’s rise

Gathered on the steps of the supreme court, 13 women describe pride and inspiration as the judge prepares to make history

For many of the Black women who gathered on the steps of the US supreme court this week, the confirmation hearings of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson - likely to become the country's first Black female supreme court justice - were a moment of pride, joy, inspiration and validation.

Black women turned out in record numbers in the 2020 presidential election, in part galvanized by Joe Biden's campaign pledge to nominate a Black female supreme court justice at his first opportunity. For many, his fulfilled promise is also a product of their efforts at the ballot box.