Ketanji Brown Jackson on Thursday became the first Black woman judge to serve the United States Supreme Court, The New York Times reported. She replaces Justice Stephen Breyer, who has retired.

Her nomination as a Supreme Court judge was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 8.

Fifty-three members of the Senate had voted in favour of Jackson and 47 against her. Among those who favoured Jackson included three members of the Republican party, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney, who crossed party lines.

President Joe Biden, who nominated Jackson, had said that it was a historic moment for America.

“We have taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America,” Biden had said in a tweet. “She [Jackson] will be an incredible Justice, and I was honoured to share this moment with her.”

In his presidential campaign, Biden had promised to name a Black woman to the Supreme Court.

Since 1789, there have only been two Black justices in the US Supreme Court – Clarence Thomas and Thurgood Marshall.

Jackson is also the sixth woman justice in the Supreme Court. Of them, three women, Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, are currently serving.

Sandra Day O’Connor served between 1981 and 2006, and renowned judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was appointed in 1993, died in September 2020.