Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was formally inducted into the Supreme Court on Friday, becoming the first Black woman to hold a seat on the bench.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, left, is escorted by Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts following her formal investiture ceremony at the Supreme Court in Washington, Sept. 30, 2022.
She took her place at the far end of the bench to Roberts’ left, just next to Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The justices are seated by seniority.During the ceremony Jackson also followed the custom of every other new justice since 1972 and sat in a chair that once belonged to John Marshall, who served as chief justice for 34 years in the early 1800s.
Breyer was among a courtroom filled with dignitaries, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Speaker Paul Ryan, a Jackson relative through marriage.Several wives of current and former justices also attended, including Virginia “Ginni” Thomas. Thomas was interviewed Thursday by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.