With the soon-to-be vacant seat on the Supreme Court due to the retirement of Justice Souter, President Obama has a unique opportunity to make history with his nominee to fill that position. I want to add my voice to Melissa Lacewell Harris’ call to nominate Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw to the Supreme Court (hat tip: @bfp @harrislacewell via Twitter). Crenshaw is, as Harris describes her, a “field-defining scholar” in the area of race, gender and the law.
Earlier this week, First Lady Michelle Obama joined other women at the U.S. Capitol to dedicate a bust of Sojourner Truth, abolitionist and early advocate for women’s right to vote. At that ceremony, Mrs. Obama said, “I hope that Sojourner Truth would be proud to see me, a descendant of slaves, serving as the first lady of the United States of America.”
To really bring change and fulfill the legacy of Sojourner Truth, President Obama has a unique opportunity to seat the first black woman on the Supreme Court. Crenshaw is that woman.
Two great posts Jessie. I love the Harris article on Crenshaw, and I happily join in thinking she would be an incredible (if, given Obama’s past nominations utterly improbable) addition to the court.
As for the Coates article, I am also amazed that people respond worse to being called a racist than to actually acting in ways that are racist. Interestingly related to this point Crenshaw has an article in which she points out that claims of “playing the race card” are themselves a “race card.” This is because this claim masks the privilege of the unmarked white category, and reinforces the idea that only people of color have race. Thanks for the posts.
What about Sonia Sotomayor? A Times article mentioned her as a potential.