Politics & LawCivil Rights
A legendary life
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg
1933 – 2020
Jurist and equality advocate who served on the United States Supreme Court for 27 years.
Her story
A life that changed history
Ruth Bader Ginsburg built a landmark legal career challenging sex discrimination before joining the Supreme Court in 1993. She was the second woman and first Jewish woman to serve on the Court and became known for influential opinions and dissents.
“The Court does not comprehend, or is indifferent to, the insidious way in which women can be victims of pay discrimination.”
Dissenting opinion, Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 29 May 2007
“Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.”
Dissenting opinion, Shelby County v. Holder, 25 June 2013