Justice Jackson Agrees with Michelle Obama on Campus Integration for Students of Color

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson sided with Michelle Obama’s criticism of how elite colleges handle students of color during a recent podcast episode. Both Jackson and Obama attended Harvard for their law degrees, with Jackson completing her undergraduate studies there as well.

Obama expressed concern that colleges spread students of color thinly across campuses, failing to create inclusive environments. 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.” Justice Jackson agreed, recalling her own experience at Harvard.

“At the time that I went to Harvard, which, we’re contemporaries in terms of the timing of it, there was a sizable Black community on campus,” Jackson said. “And it was like, I found my people, in a sense.”

Jackson described her high school experience as lonely despite being popular and contrasted it with the connection she felt at Harvard. She lived with five other Black women, contributing to her sense of belonging. “The people who had similar life experiences and backgrounds that I had, where you could feel totally comfortable being yourself,” she added.

Jackson recused herself from the Supreme Court’s Harvard admissions case due to her previous role on the university’s Board of Overseers. She participated in a related case involving the University of North Carolina, dissenting from the majority decision that ended both schools’ race-conscious admissions programs. Her opinion warned that this decision could exacerbate racial imbalances.

“No one benefits from ignorance,” Jackson wrote. “Although formal race-linked legal barriers are gone, race still matters to the lived experiences of all Americans in countless ways, and today’s ruling makes things worse, not better.”

Following the ruling, Harvard is under federal scrutiny to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive. Black representation in Harvard’s recent classes has decreased, while Asian American enrollment has increased.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Harvard to obtain applicant-level records to assess adherence to the ruling. Although the lawsuit seeks documentation rather than alleging new discrimination, it remains a focal point of discussion.

Harvard maintains that it has adjusted its policies and fully complies with the legal requirements, stating, “Harvard is committed to following the law, including civil rights laws in connection with admissions and financial aid.”