Sandra Day O'Connor

Hello! My name is Sandra Day O'Connor. I was born on March 26th, 1930, in El Paso, Texas. I didn't grow up in a big city, though. My home was a big cattle ranch in Arizona called the Lazy B. Life on the ranch was an adventure, but it was also hard work. For a long time, we didn't have running water or electricity. Living there taught me how to be tough and independent. Before I was even ten years old, I knew how to change a flat tire on a truck, mend a broken fence, and ride a horse with the cowboys. These early lessons on the ranch taught me how to solve problems and not be afraid of a challenge.

Even though I loved the ranch, I also loved to read and learn. I went to college at Stanford University, and I liked it so much that I decided to go to law school there, too. When I was in my law school class in 1952, there were very few women studying to be lawyers. After I graduated, I found out that many law firms didn't want to hire a woman. One firm even offered me a job as a secretary instead of a lawyer! I knew I was just as smart and capable as the men, but I had to prove it. So, I offered to work for a county attorney for free, just to get a chance to show what I could do. That strength I learned on the ranch helped me keep going and never give up.

My hard work paid off. I started a family and even opened my own law practice. I realized I wanted to help my community in a bigger way, so I became involved in government. In 1969, I was chosen to serve in the Arizona State Senate, where I helped make good laws for the people of my state. A few years later, in 1973, my fellow senators elected me to be their leader. This was a very special moment because I was the very first woman in the entire United States to become a state senate majority leader. After that, I became a judge, and it was my job to make sure the law was applied fairly to everyone who came into my courtroom.

Then, one day in 1981, I received a very important phone call. It was from the President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. He asked me if I would serve as a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the highest and most important court in our country, and its decisions affect every single American. I was so surprised and honored. At that time, in all of the court's nearly 200-year history, a woman had never, ever been a justice. On September 25th, 1981, I took my seat as the first female Supreme Court Justice. I knew I had a great responsibility to do a good job for everyone in our country.

I served on the Supreme Court for over 24 years, helping to make important decisions about fairness and the law. After I retired from the court in 2006, I wanted to make sure that young people like you understood how our government works and why it's important to participate. So, in 2009, I started a group called iCivics to help teach students about being good citizens. I lived to be 93 years old. I hope people remember me as someone who believed in fairness and proved that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, no matter where you start.