Ruth Bader Ginsburg Facts for Kids

Today, I’m sharing educational tips on Ruth Bader Ginsburg facts for kids.  Ruth Bader Ginsburg was appointed to the United States Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton 1993.  She was the second  woman to be appointed to the high court.  You may ask what is the United States Supreme Court?

Supreme Court Facts for Kids:

• The Supreme Court settles arguments in America.
• It is the top court in the United States Government.
• It currently has 9 judges.
• The top judge is the Chief Justice.
• Supreme Court Judges are judges for life.
• In 1981, President Ronald Reagan picked the first woman Supreme Court judge, Sandra Day O’Conner.
• The Judiciary Act of 1869 decided the number of judges to sit on the Supreme Court would be 9.
• The Supreme Court Judges must use previous judgements throughout history and current laws to decide cases for America.

First, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a petite woman.  She was 5′ 1 inches tall and weighed 110 pounds.  She reminded me of my grandmother who was also petite.  Although petite, she carried a lot of weight in the judicial field.  She fought for equality, and became one of the most admired and revered Supreme Court Justices in American history.

Justice Ginsburg’s mother called her by her middle name, Ruth, to avoid confusion with other classmates named Joan.  Here are a few other facts on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Facts for Kids:

• Ruth Bader Ginsburg given name was Joan Ruth Bader.
• She was born on March 15, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York.
• Justice Ginsburg was of Jewish descent.
• Ruth had 1 sibling, an older sister named Marilyn, who passed away when she was a baby.
• Her mother passed away before her high school graduation.
• Ruth graduated Valedictorian from James Madison High School.
• She attended Cornell University and later attended Harvard University Law School.
• Ruth transferred to Columbia University and graduated with a law degree.  She tied with another student for graduating first in her class.
• She later taught at Columbia University.
• Ruth married Martin Ginsburg in 1954.
• She was the mother of a daughter named Jane and a son named James.
• Ruth had difficulty finding a job because she was female after graduating law school.
• Her nickname was the “The Notorious R.B.G.” a moniker of  The Notorious B.I.G.
• Her favorite music was classical.

More Ruth Bader Ginsburg Facts for Kids:

• Ruth Bader Ginsburg won five cases involving women’s rights.
• Ginsburg wrote the ruling that required the Virginia Military Institute to admit women or lose its state funding.
• She loved the Opera.
• Another Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia, was her good friend.
• Ginsburg had 4 grandchildren.
• In addition to attending the Opera, she loved movies, golfing, water skiing, horseback riding and reading mystery books.
• She loved the composers Mozart, Verdi, and Puccini.
• Fishnet gloves and unique collars were a part of Justice Ginsburg’s fashion statements.
• Times Magazine named Justice Ginsburg one of the “100 Most Influential People” in 2015.

Justice Ginsburg had difficult finding a job in the 1960’s because she was a woman.  Even though she held  degrees from Ivy League schools, her gender held her back.  The fact that she was pregnant was used against her also.  When her employer found out she was pregnant; she was demoted. Throughout the years she fought for equality, and won 5 cases for women’s rights.

Justice Ginsburg was also notorious for the collars that she wore on the bench or to State Addresses and Inaugurations.  She told Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, “You know, the standard robe is made for a man because it has a place for the shirt to show, and the tie,” she said.  “So Sandra Day O’Connor and I thought it would be appropriate if we included as part of our robe something typical of a woman. So I have many, many collars.”  Her favorite was a lace collar from South Africa.  Justice O’Connor was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court.

Finally, I hope that you have learned a few things from our Ruth Bader Ginsburg facts  We also have a word search puzzle, coloring pages and Supreme Court Fact Sheet.  So, there’s something for everyone.  You can download the activities here.