Many Americans came home from work on Friday, September 18, 2020 to learn the sad news that Ruth Bader Ginsberg had died.  Possibly the most well-known Supreme Court justice, 5 feet 1 inch tall RBG demanded attention both in and out of the courts.  

“RBG’s entire career was impactful.  However, her willingness to go against the majority opinion with her powerfully worded dissents is a huge part of her lasting legacy.  We may lose a battle, but we can still state our views and make our argument,” said History Department Head, Angela Arbour. 

Ginsberg, at the top of her class at Cornell in 1954 and as one of only nine women accepted into the Harvard Law School in 1956, exceeded many expectations for women in education. When RBG’s husband fell ill, Ginsberg transferred to Columbia Law School, attended his classes as well as hers, all while also raising her daughter.

“She was a champion for fairness,” said Arbour. “She spent her career fighting for civil rights for women, for people of color, for the LGTBQ community, and for people with disabilities.” 

Ginsburg took significant strides at especially providing equal opportunities for women. She co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at American Civil Liberties Union and protected against gender discrimination.

According to NPR.org, “she was an unlikely pioneer, a diminutive and shy woman, whose soft voice and large glasses hid an intellect and attitude that, as one colleague put it, was “tough as nails.”

As the second female U.S Supreme Court justice in history, RBG will be known for breaking gender barriers. In her words: “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception”.

RBG’s death set in motion the appointment of the newest Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett – nominated by President Donald Trump and sworn in at 9:30 p.m. on October 27, 2020.