Sandra Day O'Connor (born March 26, 1930) was the first woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, she served from 1981 to 2006. O'Connor was known for her pragmatic and centrist views, often providing the pivotal vote in key decisions.
Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised on a ranch in Arizona, she graduated from Stanford Law School in 1952. Despite early career obstacles due to gender discrimination, she became a successful attorney and judge in Arizona, serving as the first female majority leader of a state senate in the United States.
On the Supreme Court, O'Connor played a crucial role in cases involving women's rights, affirmative action, and the separation of church and state. After retiring, she became an advocate for civic education and Alzheimer's research. Her legacy remains as a trailblazer for women in the judiciary and a voice of moderation on the Court.
Sandra Day O’Connor’s bobblehead is wearing shoes that replicate the ones she wore when she was sworn in as the first female Justice on September 25, 1981. Sitting beside her bobblehead is a bobbling cow, signifying her childhood spent on the Lazy B Ranch in Arizona, an experience Justice O’Connor considers instrumental to her career.