First Black Woman Supreme Court Justice Talks About Memoir

United States Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speaking as part of Chicago Humanities’ Joanne H. Alter Women in Government Lecture. PHOTO BY DAVID KINDLER.
United States Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speaking as part of Chicago Humanities’ Joanne H. Alter Women in Government Lecture. PHOTO BY DAVID KINDLER.

First Black Woman Supreme Court Justice Talks About Memoir

By Tia Carol Jones

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson walked on stage at the Harris Theater Millennium Park to a standing ovation for her sold out lecture, which was part of Chicago Humanities.

Justice Brown Jackson began by reading an excerpt from the preface of her book, “Lovely One: A Memoir.” The memoir details Brown Jackson’s life from her family and growing up in Miami to her confirmation as Supreme Court Justice. Justice Brown Jackson was in conversation with Valarie Jarrett, Chief Executive Officer at the Obama Foundation.                                         

The lecture was part of Joanne H. Alter Women in Government Lecture, which honors the late Joanne H. Alter’s work on behalf of women who were interested in social action and public service.

“Her confirmation as the first black woman to join the Supreme Court of the United States reverberated across the country. She serves as a beacon of hope, especially to those of color, all over our country. We are indeed honored to have this woman of stature, courage, promise, hope and grace as our speaker today,” said Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham in her introduction of Justice Brown Jackson.

Cunningham also talked about the full circle moment of Justice Brown Jackson having served as a clerk for Chief Justice Stephen Breyer to being sworn-in as his replacement in June 2022. She said she and her family were fully cognizant of the significance of her nomination and confirmation.

“In subsequent conversations with people from across the country, I learned that I had been carried on by a million prayers, lifted up on my behalf since the day of my nomination,” Justice Brown Jackson said. She described hers as an unlikely journey.

Jarrett said Justice Brown Jackson’s memoir is a beautiful story, that is honest and authentic. She asked Justice Brown Jackson why she wanted to write and publish her memoir. Justice Brown Jackson said she started writing the memoir two years ago, after the confirmation. She said she was so grateful to have gotten through that successfully, and before she began as a Supreme Court Justice, she thought she should reflect and pay tribute to the circumstances that she felt were responsible for the achievement.

“It was so many people, that I talk about in the book, that invested in me and mentored me and poured into me and I just thought this was a good opportunity to acknowledge that,” Justice Brown Jackson said.

Justice Brown Jackson talked about being born in Washington, DC, growing up in Miami, the lessons she learned throughout her life, and how her parents invested in her. She said her aunt gave her mother a list of African names and her mother chose the name Ketanji Onyika, which means Lovely One. She said her grandmother told her not to let people bother her, because she was destined for so much more. Her mother would also tell her to guard her spirit. She said it helped her navigate situations where she was othered.

Justice Brown Jackson talked about her experience at Harvard University and meeting her husband and her camaraderie with other Black women she met in an African American women writers course. She also talked about having a conversation with her daughters about going through the confirmation process.

“One of my favorite photographs ever is your daughter, looking at you,  you couldn’t see her, because she was behind you, but the pride and the joy and the love was amazing,” Jarrett said.

Chicago Humanities began in 1989 and its mission is to connect people to ideas and shape and define people, while promoting the lifelong exploration of what it means to be a human being. Chicago Humanities celebrates creativity, fosters curiosity and explores the boundaries of knowledge and culture.

Other Chicago Humanities events include:

  • Chicago-native legendary stylist Law Roach will be with us on Sept 29th at Thalia Hall
  • Poet aja monet will also join us on Sept 29th at Thalia Hall (same day as Law Roach)
  • Historian David Greenberg will join us on Oct 5th at the UIC to talk about John Lewis and the Civil Rights movement
  • Nikole Hannah-Jones will be with us on November 13th at the University of Chicago to talk about the latest edition of the 1619 Project (it's an illustrated edition)
  • Ta-Nehisi Coates will be with us on October 16th at the Harris Theater to talk about his latest work, The Message
  • The Jeff Parker Quartet will join us for a special concert honoring the Great American Songbook on Nov 7th at the Old Town School of Folk Music

For more information about Chicago Humanities, visit www.chicagohumanities.org.

For more information about Lovely One: A Memoir, visit https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737094/lovely-one-by-ketanji-brown-jackson.


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