US Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will become the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
US President Joe Biden nominated Ms Jackson in a landmark moment in the court's 233-year history.
Of the 115 people to have served on America's highest court, only two were black and both were men.
The 51-year-old had long been considered a frontrunner for President's Biden's first nomination and is widely respected by both major American political parties.
Ms Jackson will replace outgoing Justice Stephen Breyer, who signalled his intentions to step down in January.
