In her chambers at the United States Court of Appeals, Judge Janice Rogers Brown asked the Institute’s seniors, “What does Superman fight for?” She continued, “I think we would agree on the definitions of ‘truth’ and ‘justice,’ but what is ‘the American way?’” With that, she began a stimulating hour-long discussion.

Judge Brown was confirmed to the District of Columbia Circuit on June 8 of last year.

Prior to coming to Washington, she spent nine years on the California Supreme Court, where she earned the reputation of being a brilliant and fair jurist, committed to the rule of law. In her most recent election, she was returned to the Court with the approval of 76 percent of California voters. She served on the California Supreme Court, beginning in May 1996, when her historic appointment made her the first African-American woman to sit on that court. From 1994 to 1996, she served on an intermediate California appellate court.

Prior to her judicial appointments, Justice Brown worked as Legal Affairs Secretary to California Governor Pete Wilson and served as the Deputy Secretary and General Counsel for the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. She also was a Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the California Attorney General for eight years.

In addition to her commitment to public service, Judge Brown has participated in a variety of important efforts, including the California Commission on the Status of African-American Males, which made recommendations on how to address inequities in the treatment of African-American males in employment, business development, and the criminal justice and health care systems.

Justice Brown’s personal story is an inspiring example of the American dream. She was born to sharecroppers in Greenville, Alabama and attended segregated schools. She grew up listening to her grandmother’s stories about NAACP lawyer Fred Gray, who defended Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks. Her experience as a child of the South motivated her to become a lawyer and devote her life to public service. When she was in her teens, her family moved to Sacramento, California. She eventually received her B.A. in economics from California State University in Sacramento and her law degree from the UCLA School of Law.