Full Name
Ruth Bader Ginsburg[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Date of Birth
March 15, 1933[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York, USA[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Date of Death
September 18, 2020[1][4][6]
Place of Death
Washington, D.C., USA[4][6]
Education
Cornell University, B.A., 1954[1][4][7] Harvard Law School, attended[1][7] Columbia Law School, LL.B., 1959[1][7]
Spouses Names
Martin D. Ginsburg[1][4]
Children Names
Jane C. Ginsburg, James Ginsburg[1][4]
Parents Names
Nathan Bader, Celia Bader[2][4]
Affiliated Organizations’ Names
- Supreme Court of the United States, Associate Justice, 1993-2020[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Judge, 1980-1993[1][6]
- American Civil Liberties Union, Co-founder of the Women’s Rights Project, General Counsel, 1973-1980, National Board of Directors, 1974-1980[1]
- American Bar Foundation, Board and Executive Committee, 1979-1989[1]
- American Bar Association Journal, Board of Editors, 1972-1978[1]
- Rutgers University School of Law, Professor of Law, 1963-1972[3]
Personal Life
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, born Joan Ruth Bader on March 15, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, was the second daughter of Nathan and Celia Bader. Her older sister, Marilyn, died of meningitis when Ruth was a toddler. Ruth’s mother, Celia, was a significant influence in her life, emphasizing the importance of education and independence. Tragically, Celia succumbed to cancer the day before Ruth’s high school graduation, a loss that deeply affected her[20][18].
Ruth met Martin D. Ginsburg, known as Marty, while attending Cornell University. They married shortly after her graduation in 1954. The couple had two children, Jane and James, and shared a notably egalitarian partnership, both personally and professionally, until Marty’s death in 2010[20][18].
Career
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s career was marked by her dedication to fighting gender discrimination and advocating for equal rights. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, she attended Harvard Law School, where she was one of only nine women in a class of over 500 students. She faced significant gender-based discrimination but excelled academically, becoming the first woman to be on both the Harvard and Columbia Law Reviews[18][16].
Ginsburg transferred to Columbia Law School for her final year, where she graduated tied for first in her class. Despite her qualifications, she struggled to find employment due to her gender. She eventually clerked for Judge Edmund Palmieri and later became a professor at Rutgers University Law School and Columbia Law School. During her time in academia, she co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)[18][14].
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed Ginsburg to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Thirteen years later, in 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court, making her the second woman and the first Jewish woman to serve on the Court[18][12].
Achievements
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s achievements include her pioneering work in gender equality law, her tenure as a Supreme Court Justice, and her role in founding the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project. She authored landmark majority opinions, such as the United States v. Virginia case, which struck down the male-only admission policy of the Virginia Military Institute. Ginsburg also became known for her powerful dissents, such as in Ledbetter v. Goodyear, which contributed to the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act[19][13].
Controversies, Myths, Misconceptions
While Ginsburg was widely respected, she also faced criticism for not retiring during a Democratic presidency, which would have allowed a like-minded successor to be appointed. Additionally, some feminists initially had concerns about her stance on Roe v. Wade, fearing she might be willing to overturn it, although this was a misinterpretation of her views[8].
Bibliography
Ruth Bader Ginsburg authored several books, including “My Own Words,” a collection of her speeches and writings, and “In My Own Words,” which includes a foreword by Justice Ginsburg and provides insights into her life and career.
Citations
Citations: