(ThyBlackMan.com) Before the late, great Dorothy Height passed away, she asked President Barack Obama to appoint a black woman to the Supreme Court. But, to date, no one has ever seriously considered the idea of a black woman having this important role. This is a complete disgrace and a slap in the face for all of the talented and highly educated black women across the country.
I appreciate the recent announcement by The White House that US Attorney Loretta Lynch is going to be nominated to replace Attorney General Eric Holder. But the AG appointment is typically short-lived and doesn’t have the same impact as a well-intended member of the highest court in the land.
Here are a few reasons why it’s time for the president to man up and appoint a black woman for the Supreme Court.
1) Because it’s about time: Since the court was established well over 200 years ago, no African American woman has ever occupied a seat on the court. This is largely due to America’s commitment to a race and gender hierarchy that has kept black people at the bottom and women in
the back. It’s time that we reflect seriously on how racism and sexism have kept qualified people away from important opportunities, while giving unqualified white males a chance to destroy the country.
2) Black women are very well-educated: A recent study showed that African American women are THE most educated group of people in the country. This data manifests itself in nearly every walk of life, as countless black female doctors, attorneys, and business owners are setting the pace for the black community and beyond. With black women taking over at the head of the class, it only makes sense that they receive the chance to roam among the elite in the legal profession. We should also include black women in key leadership roles within the African American community as well. Both our community and our country lose when we lock qualified black women out.
3) The court lacks diversity: Every single member of the Supreme Court attended either Harvard or Yale. The only apparent exception is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but even she transferred from Harvard to Columbia. So, our court isn’t any kind of meritocracy, it’s an aristocracy designed to preserve power among the elite. You can’t convince me that there aren’t outstanding lawyers and judges who’ve attended UCLA, The University of Texas, North Carolina Central or many of the other outstanding law schools across the country.
Also, a full third of all Supreme Court justices have been Jewish. This is a VERY serious problem, since it implies that the bulk of American legal power is controlled by a group that represents about two percent of the population. Anyone who doesn’t see how sick this is might actually be mentally ill themselves. The diversity issues of our Supreme Court make us the laughing stock of the world and it’s interesting that some are brainwashed to think it’s anti-Semitic to point out the obvious.
This is an excerpt from a letter sent by the “Black Women’s Roundtable of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and African American female faith leaders and legal scholars.” It speaks to the fact that the issue has been brought to The White House in the past.
Mr. President, the nominations and appointments you make today will be far-reaching, particularly for the Supreme Court. As we continue to promote the legacy of our late founding leader and Co-Convener, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, we will always seek to highlight the concerns of Black women, our families and our communities. Thus, as Dr. Height stated in our previous meeting with your Administration, we believe it is time for African American women to be represented in all sectors of government—including the Supreme Court of the United States, which in its 221 year history has not had a Black woman nominated to serve on our highest court in the land.
Maybe one of President Obama’s last great acts as president can be to appoint a black woman to the Supreme Court. We don’t know if he’s going to get that chance, but if he does, I hope he realizes that this is the right thing to do. Black women deserve their chance to shine.
Staff Writer; Dr. Boyce Watkins
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. For more information, please visit http://BoyceWatkins.com.