Quote from Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell about letter from Congressional Black Caucus Letter to President Obama
Quote from Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell about Joining with Senator Hank Sanders and Dr. Joe Reed to Appeal to the White House and Senators Shelby and Sessions for more Black Federal Judges in Alabama
In response to the CBC letter, Rep. Terri Sewell stated:
“I was pleased to join my CBC colleagues in sending this letter to President Obama,” said Rep. Sewell. “As black members of congress, we have come together to express our urgent appeal to the President that he work with the Senate and Members of the House of Representatives to identify judicial nominees who reflect his commitment to diversity and the urgent need for appointing qualified African Americans to the federal bench, especially in Alabama.
Our record of black judicial appointments in Alabama is particularly appalling given that African Americans make up 26% of the population in Alabama but currently have only 1 sitting black judge in active status. In Alabama, there are three federal judicial districts consisting of 14 judgeships and currently there are two vacancies in each of the Middle and Northern districts. In the 34 years since President Jimmy Carter appointed the first two black judges in Alabama, there are have been 26 federal judicial appointments in the state and only 1 was African American—the appointment of Judge Kallon by President Obama in 2009.
My sincere hope is that the President and Alabama Senators Shelby and Sessions will work together and nominate two qualified African Americans to the open seats in the Northern and Middle districts. This appeal is not about race but fairness. I believe this is a unique opportunity to correct the history of judicial appointments in Alabama. It is simply a matter of equity.”
In response to joining with Senator Hank Sanders and Dr. Reed to appeal to the White House and Alabama Senators Session and Shelby for need for Black federal judges in Alabama:
“I am grateful to Dr. Reed and Sen. Sanders for traveling to Washington and joining with me to meet with White House and Alabama Senators Shelby and Sessions to make the case for increasing the number of Black federal judges in Alabama. Both meetings were productive. The current vacancies present a tremendous opportunity to correct the history in our State and expand diversity on the federal bench in Alabama with well qualified African Americans.”
