Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Hello, my name is Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and I want to tell you my story. I was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 15th, 1933. My family didn't have a lot of money, but what we did have was a home filled with books and a deep love for learning. My mother, Celia, was my greatest inspiration. She taught me two very important lessons that I never forgot. The first was to always be a 'lady,' which to her meant not letting useless emotions like anger get in the way of what I wanted to do. The second lesson was to always be 'independent,' so that I would always be able to take care of myself. Sadly, my mother passed away the day before my high school graduation in 1950, but I carried her wise lessons with me for the rest of my life.

After high school, I went to Cornell University. It was there that I met my wonderful husband, Martin Ginsburg. We got married, and soon we had our daughter, Jane. After Jane was born, I decided to go to law school. I began my studies at Harvard Law School in 1956, and it was not an easy path. In my class, there were about 500 students, but only nine of us were women. In those days, some people believed that women shouldn't be lawyers. I even remember the dean of the school asking each of the women in my class why we were there, taking a spot that could have gone to a man. I didn't let that stop me; I just focused on my studies. Things got even more challenging when my husband, Marty, got sick. I helped him with all his schoolwork while also doing my own and taking care of our baby. I eventually transferred and finished my degree at Columbia Law School in 1959, tying for first place in my class.

Even with my excellent grades, finding a job as a lawyer was very difficult in the early 1960s. Many law firms simply would not hire a woman, no matter how smart or capable she was. Since I couldn't get a job at a firm, I became a law professor instead. But I knew I wanted to do more to change the unfairness I saw all around me. In the 1970s, I started to work with an organization called the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU. There, I co-founded the Women's Rights Project in 1972. My new job was to stand before the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court, and argue for fairness. I explained to the judges how some laws treated men and women differently, and why that was wrong. Between 1973 and 1976, I argued six important cases about gender equality before the Supreme Court, and I am proud to say that I won five of them.

My work as a lawyer fighting for equal rights got me noticed. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed me to be a judge on a very important federal court. This was a huge step in my career. Then, in 1993, I received the greatest honor of my life. President Bill Clinton nominated me to become a justice on the Supreme Court. I was only the second woman in history to hold that position. It was wonderful to serve on the court alongside the very first female justice, Sandra Day O'Connor. For 27 years, I listened to important cases and helped make decisions that affected all Americans. Sometimes, I disagreed with the court's final decision. When that happened, I would write something called a 'dissent,' which was my own opinion explaining why I disagreed. I hoped that my ideas might one day help change the law for the better.

I spent my life working to make our country a more equal place for everyone. I truly believed that every person should have the chance to follow their dreams, no matter if they are a boy or a girl. I lived to be 87 years old, and I served on the Supreme Court for as long as I was able. Today, people remember me for my fight for fairness and justice for all. I hope my story inspires you to stand up for what you believe in and to help make the world a better, more equal place for everyone.