Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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Name	Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Birth date	March 15, 1933
Birth place	Brooklyn, New York City, New York
Death date	September 18, 2020
Death place	Washington, D.C.

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Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a renowned United States Supreme Court justice, lawyer, and women's rights advocate, known for her trailblazing career and feminist ideology, inspired by Simone de Beauvoir and Betty Friedan. She was a graduate of Cornell University, where she studied government under Robert Cushman, and later attended Harvard Law School, alongside Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Ginsburg's academic achievements and professional pursuits were influenced by her experiences at Columbia Law School, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree, and her time as a clerk for Edmund L. Palmieri. Her early life and education laid the foundation for her future success, shaped by her relationships with Martin D. Ginsburg and James Ginsburg.

Early Life and Education

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to Nathan Bader and Celia Bader, and grew up in a low-income, Jewish family, surrounded by the influences of The New York Times and The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. She attended James Madison High School, where she developed a strong interest in social justice, inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ginsburg's academic talents earned her a scholarship to Cornell University, where she studied philosophy under Vladimir Nabokov and Milton Konvitz, and later attended Harvard Law School, where she was one of the few female students, alongside Sandra Day O'Connor and Hilary Clinton. Her time at Columbia Law School was marked by her involvement with the Columbia Law Review and her relationships with Gerald Gunther and Herbert Wechsler.

Ginsburg's career was marked by her pioneering work in women's rights, as a lawyer and advocate for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where she worked alongside Norman Dorsen and Aryeh Neier. She argued several landmark cases before the United States Supreme Court, including Reed v. Reed and Frontiero v. Richardson, which were influenced by the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Nineteenth Amendment. Ginsburg's work with the ACLU Women's Rights Project and her involvement with the National Organization for Women (NOW) helped to establish her as a leading voice in the feminist movement, alongside Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan. Her career was also shaped by her relationships with Thurgood Marshall and William Brennan, and her time as a professor at Rutgers University and Columbia University.

In 1993, Ginsburg was appointed to the United States Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton, following the retirement of Byron White, and was confirmed by the United States Senate with a vote of 96-3, with the support of Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch. As a Supreme Court Justice, Ginsburg was known for her liberal ideology and her strong opinions on issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and voting rights, which were influenced by the Roe v. Wade and Obergefell v. Hodges decisions. She was a close friend and colleague of Sandra Day O'Connor and Antonin Scalia, and had a significant impact on the court's decisions, including United States v. Virginia and Shelby County v. Holder. Ginsburg's time on the court was marked by her relationships with John Roberts and Stephen Breyer, and her involvement in the National Constitution Center.

Ginsburg was involved in several notable cases during her time on the Supreme Court, including United States v. Windsor, which struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, which dealt with the Affordable Care Act and religious freedom, and was influenced by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Her opinions in cases such as Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Shelby County v. Holder demonstrated her commitment to social justice and equality, and were shaped by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Ginsburg's dissents in cases such as Bush v. Gore and Citizens United v. FEC showcased her strong opinions on issues such as voting rights and campaign finance reform, and were influenced by the Federal Election Campaign Act and the McCain-Feingold Act. Her notable opinions and dissents were often cited by law scholars and judges, including Cass Sunstein and Richard Posner.

Ginsburg was married to Martin D. Ginsburg for over 50 years, until his death in 2010, and had two children, Jane Ginsburg and James Ginsburg, who were influenced by their parents' relationships with Bella Abzug and Gloria Steinem. She was a close friend of Sandra Day O'Connor and Nina Totenberg, and was known for her feminist ideology and her support for women's rights, which was shaped by her involvement with the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Ginsburg's legacy extends beyond her work on the Supreme Court, as she has inspired countless law students, lawyers, and feminists, including Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, and has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Thurgood Marshall Award.

In her later years, Ginsburg continued to serve on the Supreme Court, despite her advanced age and health issues, including cancer and heart disease, and remained a prominent figure in American politics, known for her liberal ideology and her strong opinions on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. She passed away on September 18, 2020, at the age of 87, surrounded by her family, including Jane Ginsburg and James Ginsburg, and was remembered by President Joe Biden and Chief Justice John Roberts for her trailblazing career and her commitment to social justice, which was influenced by her relationships with Thurgood Marshall and William Brennan. Ginsburg's death was mourned by law scholars and judges around the world, including Cass Sunstein and Richard Posner, and her legacy continues to inspire future generations of law students and lawyers, including Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren. Category:United States Supreme Court justices