A Trailblazer From the Start

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s story began long before her black robe and the Supreme Court bench. Born in Brooklyn in 1933, she grew up during a time when women were told their ambitions should stop at the home’s front door. But RBG saw something different. She excelled in school, graduating first in her class at Cornell, then earning her law degree from Columbia after transferring from Harvard — where she was one of only nine women in a class of over 500 men. Her brilliance wasn’t in question, but her opportunities were. At every turn, she faced doors closed by gender bias — doors she would later dedicate her life to prying open for others.

Fighting the Law — and Rewriting It

In the 1970s, Ginsburg co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), crafting a revolutionary legal strategy to challenge systemic discrimination. But she didn’t argue that women were superior or deserved special treatment — she argued for fairness under the law. Through a series of landmark cases before the Supreme Court, she built the legal foundation for gender equality in America, brick by brick. She strategically chose male plaintiffs to show that gender discrimination harmed everyone, not just women. That quiet brilliance changed the way the U.S. Constitution was understood — and how justice was applied.

A Steady Voice on the Nation’s Highest Court

Appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, Justice Ginsburg became only the second woman ever to serve on the Court. Her opinions were measured, her tone deliberate, and her influence unmistakable. She wrote key majority opinions advancing gender equality, disability rights, and civil liberties — and even when she found herself in dissent, she wielded her pen like a beacon. Her dissents became rallying cries for progress, reminding the nation that the fight for justice was ongoing.

The Power of Dissent

RBG often said, “Dissents speak to a future age.” She understood that the law is not static — it evolves as society does. Her sharp, principled dissents in cases involving voting rights, reproductive freedom, and workers’ protections became teaching tools for the next generation of lawyers and activists. Her belief that “real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time” guided her approach: persistent, methodical, and unstoppable.

An Icon Beyond the Bench

Later in life, Ruth Bader Ginsburg transcended her role as a jurist to become a cultural icon — “The Notorious RBG.” From her lace jabots to her morning workouts, she embodied strength, intellect, and grit. Young women wore her likeness on t-shirts; little girls dressed as her for Halloween. She became proof that intelligence, resilience, and kindness were not opposing traits — they were power. And she used that power not for personal glory, but for the greater good.

Her Call to the Next Generation

Until her final days, Justice Ginsburg urged Americans to stay engaged — to vote, to advocate, and to speak truth to power. Her belief in the law as a living instrument for justice never wavered. She taught that progress requires both patience and persistence: “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

Why She’s in the Good Trouble Makers Hall of Fame

Ruth Bader Ginsburg earned her place in the Good Trouble Makers Hall of Fame because she proved that justice isn’t loud — it’s steady. She challenged injustice not with rage, but with reason. She made good trouble within the system to change the system, showing the world that the fight for equality can be waged with grace, intellect, and an unwavering belief in what’s right. Her legacy endures in every law student inspired by her brilliance, every citizen protected by her rulings, and every voice that refuses to stay silent in the face of inequality.