The confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court was a moment of triumph for nearly every Black person in this country.
The joy that exuded from our community when her confirmation became official was beautiful but it probably paled in comparison to the validation, inspiration, and motivation that it gave to Black Law School students across the nation, especially the ones attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
“It was such an inspiring moment it reminded me of when President Barack Obama was elected to the presidency. I had that same pride, passion, and exuberance,” Edrius Stagg, a third-year part-time evening division Law Student at Southern University Law Center told NewsOne in an exclusive. “Those things that we have heard KBJ do throughout her career, Black women have been doing that for the entirety of the time I have been living. They haven’t been given the necessary just due for the things that they are able to accomplish oftentimes in the shadow of men.”
While Jackson went to Harvard for undergrad and law school, her elevation to the Supreme Court opens the door for Black talent everywhere to get the recognition they deserve, especially in HBCU law schools.
It’s no secret that these programs are producing some of the best and brightest law professionals even though they have traditionally been overlooked.
