Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Full Name and Common Aliases
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, often affectionately referred to as RBG, was a pioneering figure in American jurisprudence. Her full name was Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but she became widely known by her middle name, Ruth, to avoid confusion with other students named Joan during her school years.
Birth and Death Dates
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born on March 15, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, and she passed away on September 18, 2020, in Washington, D.C.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American by nationality. She was a distinguished lawyer, professor, and jurist, serving as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020.
Early Life and Background
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born to Nathan and Celia Bader, Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Her upbringing in a working-class neighborhood in Brooklyn instilled in her a strong sense of justice and equality. Ginsburg's mother, Celia, was a significant influence in her life, encouraging her to pursue education and independence. Tragically, Celia passed away from cancer the day before Ruth's high school graduation, but her influence remained a guiding force throughout Ruth's life.
Ginsburg attended Cornell University, where she graduated at the top of her class in 1954. It was at Cornell that she met her future husband, Martin D. Ginsburg. The couple married shortly after her graduation, and Ruth went on to attend Harvard Law School. At Harvard, she was one of only nine women in a class of over 500 men. Despite facing gender discrimination, she excelled academically and later transferred to Columbia Law School, where she graduated tied for first in her class in 1959.
Major Accomplishments
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's career was marked by a series of groundbreaking accomplishments. After law school, she faced significant challenges in finding employment due to her gender. However, she eventually secured a clerkship with Judge Edmund L. Palmieri of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Ginsburg then became a professor at Rutgers Law School and later at Columbia Law School, where she became the first tenured female professor.
Her most significant contributions came through her work with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where she co-founded the Women's Rights Project in 1972. Ginsburg argued six landmark cases on gender equality before the Supreme Court, winning five. Her strategic litigation approach helped dismantle systemic gender discrimination and laid the groundwork for future legal advancements in women's rights.
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Her tenure there was marked by her reputation for building consensus and her meticulous legal reasoning. In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court, where she became the second woman ever to serve on the nation's highest court.
Notable Works or Actions
On the Supreme Court, Ginsburg was known for her strong voice in favor of gender equality, workers' rights, and the separation of church and state. She authored numerous influential opinions, including the majority opinion in United States v. Virginia (1996), which struck down the male-only admission policy of the Virginia Military Institute, reinforcing the principle of equal protection under the law.
Ginsburg also became known for her powerful dissents, which often highlighted her commitment to social justice and equality. Her dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (2007) led to the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which addressed wage discrimination.
Impact and Legacy
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's impact on American law and society is profound. She transformed the legal landscape for gender equality and inspired generations of women and men to fight for justice. Her work helped to ensure that the U.S. legal system recognized the rights of women as equal to those of men, fundamentally altering the course of American history.
Ginsburg's legacy extends beyond her legal achievements. She became a cultural icon, affectionately dubbed the "Notorious RBG," a moniker that highlighted her tenacity and resilience. Her life and work have been celebrated in books, films, and countless tributes, cementing her status as a symbol of perseverance and equality.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is widely quoted and remembered for her unwavering commitment to justice and equality. Her eloquent opinions and dissents continue to resonate, offering guidance and inspiration to those who seek to challenge injustice. Ginsburg's ability to articulate complex legal principles in a clear and compelling manner made her a powerful voice on the Supreme Court and beyond.
Her legacy as a trailblazer for gender equality and her role as a cultural icon ensure that her words and actions will continue to inspire future generations. Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life and work remind us of the enduring power of the law to effect meaningful change and the importance of standing up for what is right.
Quotes by Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's insights on:
We should not be held back from pursuing our full talents, from contributing what we could contribute to the society, because we fit into a certain mold- because we belong to a group that historically has been the object of discrimination.
Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn't be that women are the exception
My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant to be your own person, be INDEPENDENT.
A judge sworn to decide impartially can offer no forecasts, no hints, for that would show not only disregard for the specifics of the particular case, it would display disdain for the entire judicial process.
After the pancreatic cancer, at first I went to N.I.H. every three months, then every four months, then every six months.
Ever since my colorectal cancer in 1999, I have been followed by the N.I.H. That was very lucky for me because they detected my pancreatic cancer at a very early stage.
Anybody who has been discriminated against, who comes from a group that's been discriminated against, knows what it's like.
If you just needed the skills to pass the bar, two years would be enough. But if you think of law as a learned profession, then a third year is an opportunity for, on the one hand, public service and practice experience, but on the other, also to take courses that round out the law that you didn't have time to do.