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Becomes the first black female Supreme Court judge: Ketanji Brown Jackson
Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Getty Images
The US Senate has confirmed Constitutional Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.
This is the first time a black woman has become a judge on the US Supreme Court.
US President Joe Biden nominated the 51-year-old judge at the end of February.
The liberal lawyer got 53 of the 100 votes in the Senate.
Three moderate Republicans voted with the 50 Democrats in the House of Representatives.
Jackson's confirmation does not change anything about the conservative majority on the Supreme Court - it replaces the liberal judge Stephen Breyer, who announced his retirement.
The Democrat Biden had described Jackson as one of the "cleverest lawyers in our country" and spoke of a "historic candidate".
After her confirmation, Jackson has yet to be sworn in.
Breyer's departure allowed Biden to take his first seat on the Supreme Court.
His Republican predecessor Donald Trump was able to place three judges there.
Six of the nine judges are currently considered conservative.
With its decisions on controversial issues such as abortion, immigration or same-sex marriages, the Supreme Court repeatedly sets the course for US society.
tfb/AFP