Kristen Clarke has made history as the first black woman to head the Justice Department's Civil Rights division when Democrats confirmed her appointment, despite Republican criticism about her views on policing, on the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) was the only Republican to vote for Clarke's confirmation on May 25, which brought the vote to 51-48, according to CNN Politics.
"For almost five months, Republicans have attacked Kristen Clarke with unfounded smears and outright lies," Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote in a May 25 post on her Facebook page. "It's time to set the record straight. She is one of the most qualified people ever nominated to lead the Civil Rights Division. It's time to confirm Clarke."
The same day she was confirmed, Clarke was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris at the Justice Department. Clarke is the first in her family to be born in America; her parents emigrated from Jamaica and the West Indies.
Clarke graduated from Harvard University and Columbia University School of Law. She started her legal career as an intern at the Justice Department and was president of the nonprofit Lawyers' Committee for the last five years.
Over Clarke's 20-year career, she did three stints with federal civil rights teams. She was also assistant counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.