WASHINGTON, D.C.  (February 25, 2022) – The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the preeminent global membership organization for Black current and former CEOs, senior executives and board members of Fortune 1000 and equivalent companies, top-tier entrepreneurs, and global thought leaders, applauds President Biden and Vice President Harris on this historic nomination of the first Black woman to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Black women have earned their right to be represented on the highest court in the United States. We respect the Biden-Harris Administration’s recognition that potential nominees of the highest qualifications, character, and experience include a previously untapped pool of highly educated and talented nominees: Black women.

“The Executive Leadership Council applauds the historic appointment of Judge Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. She is an extremely qualified jurist whose legal career, personal background and unflagging commitment to our Constitution and the principles of equality and fairness will bring critical insight and perspective to our nation’s highest court,” says Lloyd W. Brown, II, Chair of the Board of Directors at The Executive Leadership Council.

The nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson can be likened to the nomination of Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first Black man nominated to the Supreme Court in 1967, almost 55 years ago. The nomination of a Black woman to the high court represents progress for America and especially Black women in the legal profession.

Supreme Court decisions impact the life and liberty of nearly 300 million Americans, yet only two Black justices have ever served on the court.

According to a recent report by the American Bar Association, Black attorneys make up 4.7% of all attorneys, which is much lower than the 14% percent of Americans who identify as Black. And according to the latest data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Black U.S. residents are incarcerated 3.5 times more than white U.S. residents.

These numbers demonstrate the very disparate representation of Black Americans in the legal profession and the overwhelming ramifications of that lack of representation in the carceral system. The appointment of Judge Brown Jackson, who formerly served on the bipartisan US Sentencing Commission, at this time, is necessary and significant.

“On behalf of The ELC’s nearly 800 members who represent Black excellence at the highest levels of business, we commend Judge Jackson’s appointment to the Supreme Court. Her pioneering accomplishments build on the rich legacy of Black women throughout history who shattered barriers in order to make our society more just. Research has consistently shown that diversity drives high performing teams, and we look forward to Judge Jackson’s contributions to our highest court,” says Michael C. Hyter, President & CEO of The Executive Leadership Council.

With this nomination, President Biden kept his promise to correct long-standing shortcomings regarding the makeup of the Supreme Court of the United States and brings the nation closer to keeping the promise of justice for all.

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Contact:

Eden Godbee, egodbee@elcinfo.com, 202-222-5890

Sonia Diaz, sonia@zaidpr.com

About The Executive Leadership Council:

The Executive Leadership Council opens channels of opportunity for the development of Black executives to positively impact business and our communities. An independent non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 1986, The ELC is the pre-eminent membership organization committed to increasing the number of global Black executives in C-suites, on corporate boards and in global enterprises. Comprising nearly 800 current and former Black CEOs, senior executives and board directors at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies and entrepreneurs at top-tier firms, its members work to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers global Black leaders to make impactful contributions to the marketplace and the global communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.elcinfo.com.