MADISON, Wis.— The possibility of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson becoming the first Black woman to join the Supreme Court of the United States, is a moment that’s inspiring young Black women across the country.
Iman Davenport is a second-year law student and the president of the Black Law Students Association at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
When Davenport recently had the opportunity to be in Washington, D.C., she jumped at the chance to get a front row seat to history being made.
"She’s one of his country’s brightest legal minds. Yet, there are still people in this country that see her skin and assume that she’s not qualified. As a Black woman entering the legal profession, this confirmation is a literal dream come true," said Davenport.
Davenport is one of 50 students from across the country who flew to Washington, D.C. to support Jackson’s confirmation, via a grant from the Black Law Students Association.
Davenport is a first lieutenant in the United States Army. She not only comes from a military family, but she also comes from a family tradition of lawyers.
“And so, being able to see that my generation will be the last generation to not have that type of representation on the court, I think it’s extremely exciting. I think it’s interesting because she will bring a perspective that I don’t think has ever been on the bench, not just you know, being a Black woman, but I mean, she’s a Black woman that has served in almost every capacity you could possibly serve in as a lawyer,” Davenport said.
For future lawyers like Davenport, what Jackson represents is priceless.
“It’s just really exciting to see that, you know, someone that looks like me. [This] can be inspirational to you know, not just Black women, but just women in general— people that aspire to be on the court. So it’s really exciting,” Davenport said.
This University of Wisconsin-Madison Law student is witnessing history in the making.