Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Supports Michelle Obama’s View on Campus Diversity

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson expressed agreement with former First Lady Michelle Obama’s critique of how elite colleges isolate students of color. On Obama’s podcast episode, they discussed how campuses fall short when these students are spread too thinly across them.

Jackson, who studied at Harvard both for her undergraduate and law degrees, found comfort in the university’s significant Black community. Obama, an alumna of Princeton for her undergraduate studies and Harvard for law, echoed these sentiments. She stated, “You don’t do kids of color service by plucking them out and making them one of a few, and then scattering them about the campus.” Jackson affirmed this perspective, noting, “I think that’s absolutely right.”

Reflecting on her experience, Jackson spoke of feeling isolated during high school but found belonging at Harvard in the late 1980s. “At the time I went to Harvard, there was a sizable Black community on campus,” she said. “And it was like, I found my people, in a sense.” She emphasized the comfort in being around people with shared life experiences and expressed gratitude for the community she formed with roommates and others on campus.

Jackson, a 1992 graduate of Harvard College, recused herself from a Supreme Court case concerning Harvard’s admissions due to her involvement with the university’s Board of Overseers. However, she partook in a related case with the University of North Carolina, objecting to the court’s decision to strike down race-conscious admissions programs. In her opinion, she warned that this decision would deepen racial disparities. “Race still matters to the lived experiences of all Americans, and today’s ruling makes things worse, not better,” she asserted.

Following the ruling, Harvard’s Black enrollment has declined. For the Class of 2029, Black students constituted 11.5%, a drop from previous years. Asian American enrollment has increased to 41%, while Hispanic enrollment decreased to 11%.

The Justice Department sued Harvard in February to review if it complies with the court’s ruling on affirmative action. Although the suit sought data without alleging new discrimination, Harvard moved to dismiss the case. The university claimed it had promptly altered its procedures after the ruling, ensuring compliance with civil rights laws. A statement from Harvard emphasized its commitment to following the law under the Students for Fair Admissions decision.