Judge Lisa Holder White becomes first Black female justice to sit on Illinois Supreme Court

Judge Lisa Holder White has officially joined the Illinois Supreme Court as its first Black female justice.

Holder White was sworn in Thursday morning at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield in an event that drew a full theater and nearly 200 viewers online. The 54-year-old Holder White was picked by outgoing Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman as her replacement and then approved by the full court in May. That follows Illinois tradition for replacing Supreme Court justices.

Holder White thanked those who’d given speeches in her honor, and those who supported her throughout her career. She emphasized the historical significance of her swearing-in ceremony taking place in a museum dedicated to Abraham Lincoln: “The man who freed the slaves, my ancestors, is of special significance to me.”

“My heritage is a heritage that once involved minds and bodies that were shackled, and doors that were so long closed,” Holder White said. “You see, taking my oath in this place today goes far beyond a personal professional achievement. As I see it, taking my oath in this place today recognizes the undeniable value and merit of what I, as a Black woman, mother, daughter, sister, wife and jurist have to contribute to the work of our state’s highest court, it is proof positive of the progress of this great nation, and our great state.”

Holder White’s appointment was announced just a month after Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to be the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. Jackson was sworn in last week.

“(Today) is a testimony to the notion that as women and people of color, we need not limit our dreams or settle for less because when we prepare ourselves, doors will open and we will walk through them fully equipped to serve with dignity, to serve with integrity, to serve with humility, and to serve with exceptional intellectual capabilities,” Holder White said.

Following her remarks, Holder White took her place alongside the other six members of the court and the special session was adjourned.

[SOIRCE: SOURVE CHICAGO TRIBUNE]