Additional Coverage:
- Ketanji Brown Jackson shares her and husband’s love story (newsbreak.com)
Ketanji Brown Jackson made history as the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
However, long before her historic appointment, she was a Harvard student navigating her path and future. During that time, she met Patrick Jackson, a white classmate deeply involved in the movement to remove a Confederate flag from campus.
Their friendship blossomed into a romance, and he eventually became her husband.
In a recent CBS Mornings interview with Gayle King, Brown Jackson discussed her new memoir, “Lovely One,” and shared intimate details about her relationship with Patrick. She explained how they met in a class called “Changing the Concept of Race in America” and transitioned from friends to partners.
Brown Jackson revealed her initial fears about meeting Patrick’s privileged, white family, particularly worried about his grandmother withdrawing her offer to pay for Patrick’s medical school if she found out about their relationship. Despite her concerns, Patrick reassured her, emphasizing, “I choose you,” even if it meant financial sacrifices.
Her parents, initially tentative about their daughter’s interracial relationship, grew to support them, recognizing the strong bond and shared values between Ketanji and Patrick. The couple married in 1996 and have since raised two daughters.
King highlighted Patrick’s unwavering belief in his wife’s potential, moving him to tears during the studio interview. Brown Jackson also shared a poignant memory from her Harvard days. Feeling the weight of imposter syndrome as a freshman, a brief but powerful encounter with a stranger who simply told her to “persevere” profoundly impacted her mindset.
After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in government from Harvard-Radcliffe in 1992 and graduating from Harvard Law School in 1996, Brown Jackson worked in private practice and held three federal clerkships. She served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia from 2013 until her Supreme Court appointment by President Biden in 2021.
A notable moment during her Supreme Court confirmation hearing was a viral photo of her husband and daughter Leila, who looked on proudly. Reflecting on that moment with King, Brown Jackson expressed how deeply the image resonated with many, capturing her daughter’s pride and the emotions surrounding her groundbreaking achievement.
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- Ketanji Brown Jackson shares her and husband’s love story (newsbreak.com)