First Openly Gay Black Woman Delivers White House Briefing 

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefed reporters at the White House Wednesday, only the second Black woman to do so and the first openly gay one.    Karine Jean-Pierre @KJP46 will brief WH reporters from the briefing room tomorrow at 12:30PM, per the schedule.⁰She'll be the second Black woman in 30 years to lead a WH press briefing.The first was Judy Smith (the real life "Olivia Pope") back in 1991 under George H.W. Bush. Today is a big day in the press office and @WhiteHouse. My partner in truth--@KJP46 is doing her first full briefing from the podium today making history in her own right. But doing her real justice means also recognizing her talent, her brilliance and her wonderful spirit.

"It's a real honor to be standing here today," said Jean-Pierre from the White House podium, adding that she appreciates "the historic nature" of the occasion.  "Being behind this podium, being in this room, being in this building, is not about one person, it's about what we do on behalf of the American people," she added.  Jean-Pierre has briefed reporters in press gaggles aboard Air Force One when accompanying President Joe Biden on his travels, but this is the first time she took the podium at the James F. Brady briefing room.