BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be honored with a statue in her hometown borough of Brooklyn, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday in the wake of the supreme court justice’s death.
The governor said he will appoint a commission that will make recommendations on the design, location and installation of the memorial.
Ginsburg was born in Brooklyn in 1933 and grew up in Flatbush. She graduated first in her class from Columbia Law School in 1959.
A staunch advocate for women’s rights, Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. She was the second woman to hold a seat on the Supreme Court.
Ginsburg served nearly three decades as a fierce defender of the Supreme Court’s liberal wing. In recent years, she transcended the role of justice to become an American icon.
Ginsburg died on Friday of complications from pancreatic cancer. She was 87.
“Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg selflessly pursued truth and justice in a world of division, giving voice to the voiceless and uplifting those who were pushed aside by forces of hate and indifference. As a lawyer, jurist, and professor, she redefined gender equity and civil rights and ensured America lived up to her founding ideals — she was a monumental figure of equality, and we can all agree that she deserves a monument in her honor,” Cuomo said in a statement Saturday morning.
The governor said Ginsburg’s legacy would now live on in the “progress she created for our society.”
“… This statue will serve as a physical reminder of her many contributions to the America we know today and as an inspiration for those who will continue to build on her immense body of work for generations to come,” Cuomo said.
The governor’s announcement was made less than an hour after Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter that the city would memorialize Ginsburg with a statue.
It’s unclear if the mayor’s plans are separate from the governor’s or if the two politicians will work together on the Brooklyn statue.
This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.
