President Barack Obama was able to put one woman of color on the Federal court. The next guy put none. President Biden has put eight on the Federal bench, so far. Now he has promised to put one Black woman on the Supreme Court, as one of nine Associate Justices. In 230 plus years, no Black woman has reached the Supreme Court. Black women’s organizations and the Black community, in general, are excited because it is a sign of progress.
Out of a total of approximately three hundred Federal judges, there are only five Black Federal judges. Only two Black people have reached the level of the Supreme Court. One was Thurgood Marshal the other who is still serving is Clarence Thomas who was not a judge prior to his appointment. There are no Black female Justices in the history of the court’s 100 plus judges. The two females who are being considered by Biden for the Supreme Court are Federal Judges sitting on the D.C. Court, are D.C.’s Ketanga Brown Jackson, and California Judge Lenora Kruger. There is one Racial Minority on the Court, Sonia Sotomayor, a Latino. There is also Judge Michele Childs of North Carolina. Tragically there were calls from some Black folks who were not happy that Biden was on the verge of appointing a Black Woman to the United States Supreme Court. I have not spoken directly with such a person and do not understand it. A Judgeship is what many lawyers shoot for, and a Federal Judgeship is a true prize. The Supreme Court is a real prize. Whites did not want a Black judge because they are Black. America is a land of supposed meritocracy, but there is no meritocracy on the bench. Some whites merely think the court should be white. What we really have is a land of pay–back, meaning if you support a particular candidate, he or she owes you. In the case of judges, Black women, and Black people in general supported Joseph Biden and while he chose a Black woman for Vice President, he still owes Black people for his win as President. Ask Jim Clyburn. I have been a Lawyer for nearly forty years and have seen State Court Judges appointed based on relationships. One friend of mine simply asked “why in the world did it take so long”? Others merely thought it was great and timely. It is funny to see the hypocrites saying Biden should not say he is going to put a Black woman on the court. They are hypocritical because these same people said nothing when then President Ronald Reagan promised to put a woman on the court. Then he picked Sandra Day O’Connor for the open slot. O’Connor of course was white. Reagan said picking O’Connor, America’s first woman supreme court justice, was a choice whose time had come. The past Impeached President also picked a woman, Amy Barrett, I say Biden’s picking a Black Woman as a Supreme court justice is an idea whose time has long since passed. We can say kudos to Biden who chose a Black Women as Vice President and served as Vice President to America’s first Black President, Barack Obama. The Republicans have gone crazy trying to fight the appointment even though the choice is not decided as of yet. It looks like a win for Democrats during a time when the past President is trying to cheat his way to a second term, illegally. We look forward with excitement to Biden’s appointment to the United States Supreme Court. |
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