Ginsburg, Ruth Bader (1933-2020), served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 to 2020. She was the second woman to serve on the court. Sandra Day O’Connor became the first. President Bill Clinton appointed Ginsburg to the court to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Byron R. White.
As a Supreme Court justice, Ginsburg generally provided a steady liberal voice. Occasionally, she voted with more conservative members of the court. She became known as strong supporter of civil rights and liberties.
Ruth Bader was born on March 15, 1933, in New York City. She graduated from Cornell University in 1954. She married Martin D. Ginsburg, who also became a lawyer, later that year. She earned a law degree from Columbia University in 1959. Ruth Ginsburg taught law at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, from 1963 to 1972 and at Columbia University from 1972 to 1980. During the 1970’s, Ginsburg served as general counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union, an organization that works for citizens’ rights. In this position, she argued before the Supreme Court and won many cases involving equality between the sexes. She actively supported women’s rights.
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed Ginsburg to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. During her years as a member of this court, she became known for working to bring about agreement between her liberal and conservative colleagues. Ginsburg died on Sept. 18, 2020. She became the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.
See also Supreme Court of the United States .
