Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, originally named Joan Ruth Bader, was born on March 15, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York. She passed away on September 18, 2020, leaving behind an indelible mark on the American legal landscape. Nominated by President Bill Clinton, she became an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993, succeeding Byron White. Ginsburg was not only the first Jewish woman to ascend to the Court but also the second woman overall, following Sandra Day O'Connor.

Her academic journey began at Cornell University, where she earned her bachelor's degree, and continued at Harvard Law School, one of the few women in her class. She later graduated first in her class from Columbia Law School. Ginsburg's early career included pivotal work on gender equality, which was influenced by her experience in Sweden as a co-author of a legal text. Ginsburg dedicated a significant portion of her career to advocating for women’s rights, serving as a volunteer attorney with the ACLU and eventually becoming a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1980.

During her tenure on the Supreme Court, she became known for her powerful dissents, particularly in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., which inspired the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Ginsburg gained a cultural following as "The Notorious R.B.G." for her fierce advocacy of liberal values. Her death sparked discussions around her legacy and the political implications of her replacement, reflecting her lasting impact on American jurisprudence.