Sandra Day O’Connor (1930–) made history as the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised on a cattle ranch in Arizona, O’Connor developed resilience and independence from a young age. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in economics and went on to earn her law degree from Stanford Law School in 1952. Despite graduating near the top of her class, she faced gender discrimination and struggled to find work as a lawyer, eventually settling for a position as a legal secretary.
O’Connor’s legal career took off when she moved into public service. She became Arizona’s Assistant Attorney General in 1965 and was later appointed to the Arizona State Senate, where she became the first woman to serve as majority leader of a state senate in the United States. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated her to the Supreme Court, fulfilling his campaign promise to appoint a woman to the highest court. The Senate unanimously confirmed O’Connor.
As a Supreme Court justice, O’Connor was known for her pragmatic, centrist approach, often casting pivotal swing votes in important cases. She shaped decisions on issues ranging from abortion rights to affirmative action and the separation of church and state. Her moderate stance and careful legal reasoning earned her respect from across the political spectrum.
O’Connor retired from the Court in 2006 to care for her ailing husband. Afterward, she continued advocating for civic education and judicial independence. She remains a trailblazing figure in American legal history.
