WASHINGTON — Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was welcomed to the U.S. Supreme Court in a ceremonial investiture held Friday morning.
Jackson is the newest member of the court and the first Black female justice. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and their spouses all attended the ceremony.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Chief Justice John Roberts US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks with Chief Justice John Roberts on the steps of the US Supreme Court, immediately following the investiture ceremony of Justice Jackson, in Washington, DC, September 30, 2022. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
In a description of the chronology of the ceremony, the Supreme Court said Jackson would sit in the same chair used by Chief Justice John Marshall during the early 19th century. The same chair has been used for the investiture of every member of the court since Lewis F. Powell Jr. took his judicial oath in 1972.
[ Who is Ketanji Brown Jackson? 5 things to know about first Black woman on Supreme Court ]
Jackson was confirmed in April by a 53-47 vote in the Senate, with three Republican senators joining all Democrats to support her, The Associated Press reported.
The investiture ceremony dates to June 23, 1969, when then-Chief Justice Earl Warren administered both the constitutional oath and the judicial oath to incoming Chief Justice Warren E. Burger. Since then, the Court began to hold special sittings to receive the commissions of new justices, with the first ceremony held on June 9, 1970 for Justice Harry A. Blackmun.
According to the Supreme Court, the chief justice typically administers the constitutional oath privately to the new justice. The commission is then presented and read aloud in the courtroom, and the chief justice administers the judicial oath in the courtroom.
There are no cameras allowed inside the courtroom.
This was the first time in the court’s 233-year history that the investiture ceremony includes a Black woman. Of the 116 justices who have served on the bench, all but eight have been white men, CNN reported. Jackson will be the sixth woman on the bench.
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout provided by the Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, Members of the Supreme Court (L-R) Associate Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and Associate Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Elena Kagan, and Brett M. Kavanaugh pose in the Justices Conference Room prior to the formal investiture ceremony of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff attended as guests of the Court. On June 30, 2022, Justice Jackson took the oaths of office to become the 104th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. (Photo by Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States via Getty Images) (Supreme Court of the United States/Supreme Court of the United Stat)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Chief Justice John Roberts stand at the top steps of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout provided by the Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, (L-R) U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President Kamala Harris, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pose at a courtesy visit in the Justices Conference Room prior to the investiture ceremony of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff attended as guests of the Court. On June 30, 2022, Justice Jackson took the oaths of office to become the 104th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. (Photo by Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States via Getty Images) (Supreme Court of the United States/Supreme Court of the United Stat)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson stands for a photo in front of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout provided by the Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (left) and Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.stand on the Supreme Courts portico after the investiture ceremony September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff attended as guests of the Court. On June 30, 2022, Justice Jackson took the oaths of office to become the 104th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. (Photo by Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States via Getty Images) (Supreme Court of the United States/Supreme Court of the United Stat)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout provided by the Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., (left) and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pose in the Justices Conference Room prior to the formal investiture ceremony of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff attended as guests of the Court. On June 30, 2022, Justice Jackson took the oaths of office to become the 104th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. (Photo by Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States via Getty Images) (Supreme Court of the United States/Supreme Court of the United Stat)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: In this handout provided by the Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, Retired Justice Stephen G. Breyer (left) and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pose in the Justices Conference Room prior to the formal investiture ceremony of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff attended as guests of the Court. On June 30, 2022, Justice Jackson took the oaths of office to become the 104th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. (Photo by Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States via Getty Images) (Supreme Court of the United States/Supreme Court of the United Stat)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks with Chief Justice John Roberts on the steps of the US Supreme Court, immediately following the investiture ceremony of Justice Jackson, in Washington, DC, September 30, 2022. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Chief Justice John Roberts pause for photographs at the top steps of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Chief Justice John Roberts pause for photographs at the top steps of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Chief Justice John Roberts walk down the steps of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Chief Justice John Roberts pause for photographs at the top steps of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks with Chief Justice John Roberts on the steps of the US Supreme Court, immediately following the investiture ceremony of Justice Jackson, in Washington, DC, September 30, 2022. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson kisses her husband Patrick Jackson in front of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Chief Justice John Roberts pause for photographs at the top steps of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Chief Justice John Roberts walk down the steps of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Ketanji Brown Jackson officially joins Supreme Court in historic investiture ceremony WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson embraces her husband Patrick Jackson in front of the Supreme Court following her investiture ceremony on September 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. The ceremony for Jackson, who took her official Supreme Court oaths at the end of June, was attended by U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)