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Ruth Bader Gingsburg

By klherrig

  • Born

    New York City, NY

  • Her mother died the day before graduating from high school.

  • Graduated from Cornell University

    Received her BA in government, then married Martin Ginsburg a month after graduating

  • Gave birth to first daughter

    She was demoted from her position at the social security administration after becoming pregnant with her first child.

  • Began attending Harvard Law School

    There were 9 women attending the law school in a class of 500. At a dinner party given by the dean, he asked the women, "Why are you at Harvard Law School, taking the place of a man?"

  • Received her law degree from Columbia University

    She was tied for first in her class.

  • Rejected for a Supreme Court clerkship position

    Due to her gender!
  • Period: to

    Learned Swedish to cowrite book with on civil procedures in Sweden.

    Her thinking on gender equality was influenced by her time in Sweden. She was inspired when she observed the changes occurring there, such as a much higher percentage of women attending law school.

  • Became professor at Rutgers Law School

    She was paid less than her male colleagues because she had a husband with a well-paid job.

  • Cofounded Women's Rights Project at ACLU

    As director of the Women's Rights Project, she argued six gender discrimination cases before the Supreme Court between 1973 and 1976. Her work led directly to the end of gender discrimination in many areas of the law.

  • Appointed as a judge to the DC circuit appeals court by President Jimmy Carter

  • Nominated for the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton

    She became the second female and the first Jewish female justice of the Supreme Court.