Our Women’s History Month celebration continues as we highlight the most influential women in history as chosen by you. Next up is Sandra Day O’Connor who was selected by Josie Johnson – an Evanston 4th grader, Irish dancer, and creative writer who will honor O’Connor tonight at Willard Elementary’s Wax Museum of American History. Writes Miss Johnson:
“I think one of the most influential women is Sandra Day O’Connor who was the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. She was a pioneer in women’s rights and completed her job even under intense scrutiny. She made clear that a job can be for any gender, and she proved women are just as good as men.”
You can learn more about Sandra Day O’Connor below, and make sure to share your pick for one of the most influential women in history. Tell us today by visiting EPL Celebrates Women’s History Month.
The Majesty of the Law: Reflections of a Supreme Court Justice by Sandra Day O’Connor
O’Connor explores the law, her life as a Justice, and how the Supreme Court has evolved and continues to function, grow, and change. While discussing notable cases that shaped both America and today’s Court, she reflects on her own experiences as the first female Justice and how the suffrage movement changed the lives of women–in voting booths, jury boxes, and homes across the country. Clear-eyed, straightforward, and inspiring.
Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest by Sandra Day O’Connor
In this NY Times bestseller co-written with her brother, O’Connor looks back on life at the Lazy B – an Arizona cattle ranch owned by her family since 1886. Including rare photographs and personal letters from three generations of the Day family, this fascinating memoir mixes local and family history while giving a glimpse of O’Connor’s formative years riding horses, helping in cattle roundups, and meeting the challenges of frontier life.
Sisters in Law by Linda R. Hirshman
This illuminating dual biography looks at the lives of Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg – the first two female Supreme Court justices. Though they couldn’t be more different – O’Connor is a Republican from an Arizona ranch, Ginsburg is a Democrat from Brooklyn – both overcame enormous obstacles faced by women on their way to making history. A superb book about two remarkable women.
Want to learn more? Try the following:
- Out of Order: Stories from the History the Supreme Court by Sandra Day O’Connor
- Chico by Sandra Day O’Connor
