The Path to Confirming the First Black Woman Supreme Court Justice

The announcement of Justice Stephen Breyer’s pending retirement paves the way for a historic opportunity—the possibility of the first Black woman Supreme Court justice in our nation’s history.

President Biden reiterated his commitment to nominating a Black woman, but the road between nomination and final confirmation may be long. We need a national coalition to support the nomination and confirmation—and WDN Action grantee She Will Rise is primed to lead the charge. 

That’s why WDN Action and WDN both moved $50,000 in rapid-response grants—totaling $100,000—to support their work to ensure that the nomination process has integrity, transparency, and is successful.

Since 2020, She Will Rise—a collective of experts created to ensure that Black women judicial nominees have an engaged and empowered army of advocates supporting them from nomination through confirmation—has focused on expanding opportunity on the federal bench across the country with this moment in mind. WDN Action has funded their work since 2021.

“I cannot thank WDN enough for the support (not just financial),” said She Will Rise’s Kim Tignor. “You all believed in our mission from the start and helped us stand ready for this moment.”

From voting rights to environmental justice to abortion access, the predominately white male court is making decisions that impact the lives of marginalized communities—particularly women of color—all across the country. Selecting a Black woman for our nation’s highest court is critical to defending our democracy and delivering freedom and justice for all.

The time is now for the first Black woman Supreme Court Justice.