Robed Representatives

The number of Black state and federal judges has grown considerably in the post-Civil Rights Era. They are, in fact, the second most represented group of judges in the state and federal courts. Furthermore, historic appointments of Black men and women to the federal judiciary, including Ketanji Brown Jackson, as well as generally increased calls for the diversification of the courts in recent years have renewed questions about judicial representation. What does having more Black judges in courthouses and communities mean for the political representation of Black people and Black interests?