Ruth Bader Ginsburg Timeline

(March 15, 1933 – September 18, 2020)

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1993 until her death in 2020. A trailblazer for gender equality, she co-founded the ACLU Women's Rights Project, argued landmark cases before the Court as an attorney, and became the second woman ever to serve on the Supreme Court. Affectionately known as 'RBG' or the 'Notorious R.B.G.,' she left a lasting legacy as a fierce advocate for civil rights, women's rights, and justice. More Less

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Early Life and Education

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is born in Brooklyn, New York

Mar 15, 1933

Joan Ruth Bader was born to Jewish parents Celia and Nathan Bader in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood. Her older sister Marilyn died young, and her mother Celia instilled in her a love of education before dying of cancer the day before Ruth's high school graduation.

Image source: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Graduates from James Madison High School

Jun 1950

Ginsburg graduated as one of the top students in her class at James Madison High School in Brooklyn. Her mother's death a day earlier prevented her mother from witnessing this milestone, which deeply affected Ginsburg throughout her life.

Image source: James Madison High School (Brooklyn)

Enrolls at Cornell University

Sep 1950

Ginsburg attended Cornell University on a full scholarship, where she met fellow student Martin Ginsburg. She studied government and graduated first in her class in 1954 with a bachelor's degree.

Image source: Cornell University

Marries Martin Ginsburg

Jun 23, 1954

Ruth Bader married Martin 'Marty' Ginsburg shortly after her graduation from Cornell. Their marriage became famously egalitarian, with Marty supporting her career ambitions and sharing domestic responsibilities decades ahead of social norms.

Image source: Martin D. Ginsburg

Birth of daughter Jane Ginsburg

Jul 21, 1955

Ginsburg gave birth to her first child, Jane, while she was a Harvard Law student. Her pregnancy initially caused anxiety about her academic future, but she successfully kept up with her demanding coursework, even while caring for an infant.

Image source: Jane C. Ginsburg

Becomes one of few women admitted to Harvard Law School

Sep 1956

Ginsburg entered Harvard Law School as one of only nine women in a class of about 500 students. She faced overt gender discrimination from faculty and administrators, including being asked by Dean Griswold how she justified taking a man's place at law school.

Image source: Harvard Law School

Transfers to Columbia Law School and graduates first in class

Jun 1959

After Marty took a job in New York City, Ginsburg transferred to Columbia Law School, where she became the first woman to serve on two major law journals. She graduated tied for first in her class in 1959, yet still struggled to find employment because of her gender.

Image source: Columbia Law School

Birth of son James Ginsburg

Sep 8, 1965

Ginsburg gave birth to her second child, James Steven Ginsburg, while balancing her role as a law professor. She famously worked through labor to finish grading exams before going to the hospital.

Legal Career and Advocacy

Begins teaching at Rutgers Law School

1963

Ginsburg began her academic career at Rutgers Law School in Newark, New Jersey, becoming one of fewer than 20 female law professors in the country. She taught there until 1972 and was denied equal pay until women colleagues protested on her behalf.

Image source: Rutgers Law School

Argues Weinblatt v. Weinblatt and other cases advancing equality

1970 - 1980

Throughout the 1970s, Ginsburg argued numerous cases challenging sex-based discrimination, often framing issues as burdens on both men and women. Cases like Moritz v. Commissioner (1972), in which she secured tax deductions for a single father, showcased her strategy of demonstrating that gender stereotypes harmed everyone.

Argues Reed v. Reed case before Supreme Court judges

Nov 1971

Ginsburg wrote the brief for Reed v. Reed, the first case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sex-based discrimination violated the Constitution under the Equal Protection Clause. The court ruled unanimously against Idaho's practice of automatically preferring men over women as estate administrators.

Image source: Reed v. Reed

Co-founds the Women's Rights Project of the ACLU

1972

Ginsburg co-founded the Women's Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, launching a strategic campaign to advance gender equality through litigation. Under her leadership, the project fought hundreds of discrimination cases across the nation.

Image source: American Civil Liberties Union

Appointed professor at Columbia Law School

1972 - 1980

Ginsburg became the first tenured female law professor at Columbia University. During this period, she also contributed to drafting the legal framework for Title IX legislation and continued her advocacy through the ACLU Women's Rights Project.

Publishes influential study on sex bias in federal courts

Jan 1, 1973

As part of the ACLU Women's Rights Project, Ginsburg authored a landmark report documenting widespread sex discrimination in the legal system, providing evidence that helped shape the movement for gender equality in American jurisprudence.

Image source: Women's rights

Argues Frontiero v. Richardson before the Supreme Court

Jan 17, 1973

Ginsburg made her first oral argument before the Supreme Court in Frontiero v. Richardson, challenging military regulations that denied benefits to wives of servicewomen granted automatically to husbands of servicemen. She won, marking a major victory for gender equality.

President Carter appoints Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals

Apr 1980

President Jimmy Carter nominated Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where she served from 1980 to 1993. On the bench, she developed a reputation as a moderate jurist with a sharp intellect and careful approach to precedent.

Image source: United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals after Senate confirmation

Jun 18, 1980

The U.S. Senate confirmed Ginsburg's nomination to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Her service on this appellate bench for thirteen years honed her judicial philosophy and prepared her for her eventual elevation to the Supreme Court.

Image source: United States Senate

Supreme Court Years

President Clinton nominates Ginsburg to the Supreme Court

Jun 14, 1993

President Bill Clinton announced his nomination of Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg to fill the vacancy left by retiring Justice Byron White. Clinton praised her as someone who would interpret the Constitution with fidelity and common sense, calling her 'a lawyer's lawyer.'

Image source: Presidency of Bill Clinton

Senate Judiciary Committee holds confirmation hearings

Jul 20, 1993

Ginsburg testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, emphasizing her judicial philosophy of restraint and respect for precedent. She described herself as a moderate judge and pledged to bring civility to public discourse, winning broad bipartisan support.

Sworn in as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court

Aug 10, 1993

Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the second woman ever confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, sworn in by Chief Justice William Rehnquist after confirmation by a vote of 96-3. Her appointment marked a historic milestone for women in American law and governance.

Image source: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

Delivers first Supreme Court opinion in Harris v. McRae aftermath work

Nov 1993

In her early months on the Court, Ginsburg established herself as a thoughtful voice on reproductive rights and constitutional interpretation, building on the legacy of cases like Harris v. McRae that shaped access to healthcare funding for poor women.

Image source: Harris v. McRae

Writes majority opinion upholding Virginia Military Institute ruling

Jun 26, 1996

Ginsburg wrote the landmark majority opinion in United States v. Virginia, ruling that the Virginia Military Institute's male-only admissions policy violated the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. The decision established that gender classifications must serve 'exceedingly persuasive' justifications.

Dissents in Miller v. Albright on citizenship discrimination

May 18, 1998

Ginsburg dissented in Miller v. Albright, criticizing immigration rules that treated children of unmarried American mothers differently from children of unmarried American fathers. Her dissent reflected her lifelong commitment to eliminating gender-based distinctions in law.

Delivers influential dissent on Ledbetter pay discrimination case

May 29, 2007

Ginsburg's passionate dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear criticized the Court's narrow interpretation of Title VII regarding pay discrimination. Her dissent inspired Congress to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, the first bill signed by President Obama.

Writes opinion supporting same-sex marriage rights momentum

Jun 26, 2013

In the years leading up to Obergefell v. Hodges, Ginsburg officiated several same-sex weddings at the Supreme Court and voiced strong support for marriage equality, presaging her pivotal role when the Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide in June 2015.

Court rules in favor of same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges

Jun 26, 2015

Ginsburg joined her colleagues in voting to affirm same-sex couples' right to marry nationwide in the historic Obergefell v. Hodges decision. She had previously officiated same-sex weddings and called the ruling a momentous achievement for equality.

Legacy and Later Life

Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; undergoes surgery

Feb 5, 2009

Ginsburg was diagnosed with early-stage pancreatic cancer and underwent surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Remarkably, she returned to work within three weeks and did not miss a single day of Supreme Court deliberations during treatment.

Image source: Pancreatic cancer

Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

Aug 12, 2009

President Barack Obama awarded Ginsburg the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, recognizing her pioneering contributions to gender equality and her transformative impact on American law and society.

Image source: Presidential Medal of Freedom

Earns nickname 'The Notorious R.B.G.' as cultural icon

2013

A Tumblr blog created by law student Shana Knizhnik transformed Ginsburg into a pop culture phenomenon known as 'The Notorious R.B.G.' Her image appeared on t-shirts, mugs, and memes, making her an unexpected icon for younger generations and a symbol of resistance.

Image source: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Undergoes heart procedure after stent placement

Nov 2019

Ginsburg underwent a cardiac procedure to place a stent to clear a blockage in her right coronary artery after experiencing chest discomfort during exercise. She continued working despite recurring health challenges, becoming famous for her rigorous fitness regimen.

Image source: Stent

Dies at age 87 after battle with pancreatic cancer

Sep 18, 2020

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at her home in Washington, D.C., surrounded by family, from complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Her death just weeks before the presidential election sparked national mourning and intense political debate over her successor.

Image source: Death and state funeral of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Lies in state at the U.S. Capitol

Sep 25, 2020

Ginsburg became the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, honored with a private ceremony in Statuary Hall attended by congressional leaders and dignitaries. Thousands paid their respects outside, celebrating a life devoted to justice and equality.

Key Facts

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born on March 15, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents.
She graduated first in her class from Columbia Law School in 1959 after transferring from Harvard Law School, where she was one of only nine women in her class of over 500 students.
In 1972, she co-founded the ACLU Women's Rights Project and argued six groundbreaking gender discrimination cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, winning five.
Ginsburg was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1993, becoming the second woman to serve as a Justice after Sandra Day O'Connor.
She died on September 18, 2020, at the age of 87, becoming the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.

Source

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