The Ruth Bader Ginsburg Endowed Fund for Research in Civil Rights and Gender Equality

Late United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent her career as a fierce advocate for equal justice under law. She was a tireless supporter of civil rights, and she inspired countless lawyers and advocates to fight for civil rights for all in the United States. Although progress has been made, the modern civil rights movement continues to work to address the serious and significant inequities in our society.

Justice Ginsburg received The Fellows annual award for outstanding research in law and government at the 1995 ABA Annual Meeting. The American Bar Foundation’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg Endowed Fund for Research in Civil Rights and Gender Equality aims to honor Justice Ginsburg’s lifelong work to ensure all Americans receive equal protection under the law. It commemorates her legacy as a legal trailblazer by supporting significant and pathbreaking research and programming on civil rights and gender equality. This endowed fund is dedicated to preserving and upholding Justice Ginsburg’s legacy by championing scholarship that will engender a more fair, equitable, and just future.

The endowed fund also pays tribute to Justice Ginsburg’s steadfast and generous support of the ABF. As a part of her longstanding service to the American public and the legal profession, Justice Ginsburg served on the ABF Board of Directors for more than a decade prior to her nomination to the United States Supreme Court. She was an officer on the ABF Board, holding the position of Board Secretary for many years. Justice Ginsburg was also a Patron Fellow of the ABF and played a crucial role in making the ABF the institution it is today. The endowed fund has received an endorsement from Justice Ginsburg’s son, James Ginsburg, in honor of his mother’s long legacy and affiliation with the ABF.

In order to achieve this vision, the ABF seeks to build the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Endowment to support high-quality research and programming in civil rights and gender equality. Each gift is essential to helping the ABF lead the way forward with empirical and interdisciplinary research that promotes a more equal and just society. Supporters of the campaign will share in the success of this vital undertaking.