Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Background and Influences

Ruth Bader Ginsburg grew up with a big female advocate in the household. Cecelia Bader, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s mother, took her to the library every week and encouraged a love of education in her daughter. Cecilia Bader taught her the value of independence and a good education. Cecilia Bader struggled with cancer throughout her daughter’s high school years and died the day before her graduation.

“Two things were important to her, and she repeated them endlessly,” RBG wrote. “One was to be a lady, and that meant to conduct yourself civilly, don't let emotions like anger or envy get in the way. And the other was to be independent, which was an unusual message for mothers at the time to be giving their daughters.” ​​​​​​​

Ruth Bader Ginsburg attended Cornell University from 1950 to 1954 and graduated at the top of her class. Two years later, RBG went to Harvard Law School until 1958. Ginsburg was one of nine women in her class of more than 500 students at Harvard Law. In 1959, she transferred to Columbia Law School to join her husband, Marty Ginsburg.

Martin Ginsburg and Ruth Bader met at Cornell University. “Marty was the only young man I dated who cared that I had a brain,” RBG said. After graduating Cornell, they married in 1954 and had their first daughter, Jane. They both attended law school shortly after. According to Town and Country, she began teaching and practicing constitutional law, and Marty Ginsburg did the same for tax law.