Months after promising to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court, President Joe Biden has done just that.
He’s selected federal appeals court judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his top pick to replace Justice Stephen G. Breyer, who is retiring. Ketanji will now undergo a confirmation hearing in the Senate.
If Ketanji is confirmed, she’ll become the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. (She’ll also be the first public defender on the Court.)
Naturally, people want to know more about her, including her family life. One person who will no doubt be supporting her during the hearing is her husband, Patrick Graves Jackson.
So, who is Ketanji’s husband? Listed below are some things you need to know about Patrick Graves Jackson.
He’s a doctor.
Patrick Graves Jackson is a gastrointestinal surgeon, but not just any surgeon. He’s actually chief of gastrointestinal surgery at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital and an associate professor of surgery at Georgetown University. Patrick specializes in a slew of different surgeries, according to his online bio, including abdominal wall reconstructions and hernias.
He’s a twin.
Patrick has a twin brother named William Jackson who—fun fact—is actually married to Dana Little Jackson, the sister of former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, per NBC News.
He met Ketanji in school.
The two actually first met when they were studying at Harvard, according to the Miami Herald. Patrick went on to go to medical school at Columbia University and did his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital.
He’s super supportive of his wife.
Ketanji used to clerk for Federal Judge Patti Saris, who told NPR that Patrick used to go to the courtroom after his shift at the hospital as a surgical resident because he was “so fascinated by his wife’s work.” Saris said Patrick would look “scruffy” from his long hours as a resident and was once mistaken for a homeless man.
He’s said some really sweet things about his wife.
Patrick’s tweets are no longer visible to the public, but he shared a sweet message in June 2021 that paid tribute to his wife. “Happy Loving Day! I am especially thankful to be walking through life with a brilliant and compassionate partner who still takes my breath away, made possible by sacrifices like Richard and Mildred Loving,” he wrote, per The Associated Press.
