Justice Jackson shares message of perseverance at UAF

By Amber McCain

A single word, “persevere,” remained with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson decades after a stranger said it to her during a difficult moment as a college freshman. The message became a reminder that even during moments of uncertainty, she had support around her and was not moving forward alone. Jackson carried this lesson through her education, legal career and historic path to the nation’s highest court.

University of Alaska Fairbanks photo by Eric Engman
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in the Charles W. Davis Concert Hall July 14, 2026.

On Tuesday night, that message of persistence echoed through the packed Davis Concert Hall at the University of Alaska Fairbanks as Jackson reflected on the people, experiences and lessons that shaped her life and career. 

The free event drew overwhelming interest, with more than 2,000 Alaskans seeking tickets. The 900-seat venue filled within two minutes of registration opening, and more than 1,000 people joined the waitlist.

Inside the concert hall, excitement built long before Jackson took the stage. Doors opened 90 minutes before the event began, and the room quickly filled with students, community members, faculty, staff and visitors. As attendees waited, the UAF orchestra opened the evening with a performance, and the audience responded with a standing ovation when Jackson entered the hall. 

UAF Interim Chancellor Larry Hinzman welcomed Jackson and the Fairbanks community, noting that she was the second sitting Supreme Court justice to visit UAF, following Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s appearance in 2016.

“This is the second time that UAF has hosted a Supreme Court justice, which is pretty amazing for our university and for our community,” Hinzman said.

Summer Sessions Director Michelle Bartlett thanked the volunteers and organizations that helped make the event possible. She said the overwhelming demand showed the importance of bringing opportunities like this to Alaska communities.

 “This is not only a Fairbanks event,” Bartlett said. “It’s a statewide event.”

The conversation was moderated by longtime Alaska broadcaster Robert Hannon, who guided Jackson through stories from her childhood, education, legal career and memoir.

 Jackson began by reading from the preface of her memoir, “Lovely One,” describing the moment she was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

“I, the daughter of African American parents who had come of age in the segregated South during the 1950s and early 1960s, would become the 116th justice and the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court,” Jackson read.

University of Alaska Fairbanks photo by Eric Engman
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on stage with moderator Robert Hannon.

The title of Jackson’s memoir, “Lovely One,” comes from the meaning of her first name, Ketanji Onika. She said her parents wanted her to understand and take pride in her heritage from an early age.

 “My parents wanted me to know what my heritage was, to be proud of it, to be very conscious of that in terms of moving through the world,” Jackson said.

A major theme throughout the evening was the influence of family and education.

Jackson spoke about her parents, both public-school teachers, who encouraged her to pursue opportunities they had not always been given.

“My parents just took it upon themselves to train me to believe that I could do anything,” she said.

Jackson discussed the importance of speech and debate during her high school years, crediting her coach Fran Berger with teaching her how to write, reason and communicate effectively. 

For Jackson, one of the most influential experiences came from performing Margaret Walker’s poem, “For My People,” which she said introduced her to the power of public speaking. 

“I really enjoyed the communication aspect of it,” Jackson said, describing how those early experiences shaped her interest in law.

Jackson later returned to the meaning behind “persevere” while sharing a story from her freshman year at Harvard, when she was struggling with homesickness and uncertainty.

Walking through Harvard Yard one evening, a stranger passed her, another black woman, and simply said, “persevere.” Jackson said the moment stayed with her and reminded her that she had support around her.

Jackson connected that experience to other moments of hardship, including encountering racism while attending Harvard University. She said her mother’s advice helped guide her through difficult moments.

“Guard your spirit, Ketanji,” Jackson recalled her mother telling her. “To focus on the unfairness of life is to be devoured by it.”

The conversation also touched on Jackson’s career as a public defender, federal judge and Supreme Court justice. She discussed how her experience representing criminal defendants influenced the way she approached judging.

“I wanted them to know that it was not because I was mad or I was doing something to them,” Jackson said. “It was because of their behavior. It was because of what they had done.”

Jackson also discussed the importance of dissenting opinions in the legal system and how they contribute to future discussions about the law.

“Dissents are extraordinarily important because they embody one of our core values, which is the freedom of expression, the tolerance of minority views,” Jackson said.

The evening ended unexpectedly when Jackson was called away to address an emergency matter requiring her attention. Hannon thanked Jackson for sharing her story with the Fairbanks community, and Bartlett thanked the volunteers and organizations who helped make the event possible.