Blumenthal & Judge Jackson Discuss "Daughter of New Haven" & Civil Rights Trailblazer Constance Baker Motley During Supreme Court Nomination Hearing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson discussed their shared admiration of New Haven native Judge Constance Baker Motley. Judge Motley, a civil rights trailblazer who opened courthouse doors to Black women and men across the country, was the first Black woman to serve as a federal judge and argue before the United States Supreme Court. Throughout her confirmation hearing, Judge Jackson has cited Judge Motley as a role model.

“We are very proud that she is the daughter of New Haven and Connecticut. She is one of my heroes as well,” Blumenthal told Jackson. “So why don't you tell us and maybe tell those folks, particularly women and girls who are watching or listening, why you said at the outset of the hearings here that she was one of those whose shoulders you stood upon as you came here today?”

“I so admired the fact that she was the first,” Jackson said. “It is not necessarily easy to be the first but it is an opportunity to show other people what is possible. When you are the first, it means no one has ever done it before like you and there may be hundreds, thousands of people who might have wanted that opportunity and thought, I can’t do that because there is no one there like me.”

“So being a trailblazer, whether it is Judge Motley or Justice Marshall or Justice O’Connor, being a trailblazer is really inspiring I think,” Jackson continued. “And I was always moved by Judge Motley's experience. I think it may even be part of why I moved in this direction.”

“Well it is inspiring and I hope that your very inspiring story will make it possible for a lot of others to think it, not secretly, but say it out loud and aspire to it because it is what this country needs,” Blumenthal responded.

In January, Blumenthal introduced legislation to posthumously award Judge Motley the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.

Video of the exchange between Blumenthal and Jackson can be found here. A profile of Judge Motley can be found here.

The full transcript of Blumenthal’s exchange with Jackson is copied below.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thanks Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon Judge Jackson, I know your birthday – September 14. You have the happy coincidence of a birthday with Constance Baker Motley who just happens to have been born in New Haven, Connecticut. We are very proud that she is the daughter of New Haven and Connecticut. She is one of my heroes as well. As you know about her, she was the first Black woman to be appointed to the federal bench. She is the first Black woman to have argued before the Supreme Court. In fact her record before the court was 10 wins and zero losses. She was very predominantly responsible for Brown v. Board of Education. Thurgood Marshall got most of the credit, but she did a lot of the work – probably sounds familiar. So why don't you tell us and maybe tell those folks, particularly women and girls who are watching or listening, why you said at the outset of the hearings here that she was one of those whose shoulders you stood upon as you came here today? 

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson: Thank you, Senator. Well in addition to the fact we share a birthday, which I discovered when I was in law school and thought what a happy coincidence in terms of someone who I so admired and secretly at that point, I was thinking I might want to be a judge, so it was a wonderful coincidence. I so admired the fact that she was the first. It is not necessarily easy to be the first but it is an opportunity to show other people what is possible. When you are the first, it means no one has ever done it before like you and there may be hundreds, thousands of people who might have wanted that opportunity and thought I can’t do that because there is no one there like me. So being a trailblazer, whether it is Judge Motley or Justice Marshall or Justice O’Connor, being a trailblazer is really inspiring I think. And I was always moved by Judge Motley's experience. I think it may even be part of why I moved in this direction.  

Blumenthal: Well it is inspiring and I hope that your very inspiring story will make it possible for a lot of others to think it, not secretly, but say it out loud and aspire to it, because it is what this country needs. And fortunately, President Biden has recognized that in the nominees that he has put before us and we have tried to work with the great leadership of Senator Durbin to confirm people of real merit, the kind of qualifications and intellect and character and depth and warmth that you bring to us today. 

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