A Celebration to Honor the Historic First Term of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the Supreme Court

VOLUME XXXIV NUMBER 2, 2012 A Celebration to Honor the Historic First Term of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the Supreme Court In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the fi rst at the White House later in the day. O’Connor told the term of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the Supreme Court audience: “I had never been to the White House, never Bench, the Society sponsored a panel discussion with all four even seen it, and I didn’t know where it was.” Smith said of the women who have served on the Court. Participants in he could explain how to get there, but instead he would ask this milestone event were: Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, his secretary to pick O’Connor up, adding that the secretary Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia drove “an old green sedan.” At Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. The the appointed hour, the secretary program was co-sponsored by the met O’Connor at Dupont Circle Freedom Forum and was held in and drove her to the White the Annenberg Auditorium of the House. Justice O’Connor Newseum in Washington, DC on continued the story saying that Photos by Steve Petteway Steve Photos by April 11, 2012. “. we were admitted and made President Gregory Joseph our way in due course to the Oval welcomed the audience of 450 Offi ce. And I was so surprised; guests and provided a brief it is so small, I mean it’s such a introduction of the Justices and the shock and you think, oh my gosh, Society. He then introduced James this is the White House and it is Duff , the President of the Newseum, this tiny little oval place. We sat who served as the moderator for down and talked. That’s how the discussion. Having served as it all started.” Administrative Assistant to Chief When asked, “Was Justice Rehnquist, Mr. Duff was it always one of your goals uniquely qualifi ed to interview to become a Justice?” Justice the Justices and discuss their Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s trail-blazing career O’Connor responded, “Heavens was the subject of a panel discussion experiences and the way the Court no, goodness no, it certainly functions. was not. I wasn’t sure what I ought to do because it’s all At the outset, Mr. Duff quipped that while they right to be the fi rst to do something, but I certainly didn’t were one vote short of having a quorum, there were enough want to be the last female Justice to serve on the Court.” Justices present to grant cert. He directed the fi rst part of the In response to the question “Who were your role models?” discussion to Justice O’Connor, questioning her about the Justice O’Connor said, “For what?” Mr. Duff observed that secrecy surrounding her nomination to the Court in 1981. In she had been a trail blazer in all her major roles. his memoirs, William French Smith, who was the Attorney Turning to the other panel members, Mr. Duff asked General in 1981, described interviews with O’Connor and Justice Ginsburg: “Where were you in your career when Cabinet members conducted at a hotel to avoid publicity Justice O’Connor was appointed?” She responded that she about O’Connor’s presence in Washington. Following the remembered hearing the announcement of the nomination meeting, Smith told her the President would like to see her very clearly: “It was a moment, one of those few in life Continued on page 4 A Letter from the President of this issue and on the Society’s web site. The 2012 Frank C. Jones Reenactment will also be held in the Fall. It will The last quarter revisit and reimagine, the landmark baseball antitrust case ended two days after the of Flood v. Kuhn. This important decision, which may be close of a Term that had one of the few Supreme Court cases that sports enthusiasts the nation’s eyes riveted recognize by name, continues to impact the game of baseball. on the Supreme Court. In response to suggestions to take our show on the road, we On May 23, 2012, hope to develop a portable version of the program that can the Leon Silverman be staged in different areas of the country. lecture had focused on The publications effort continues with the Society’s “James Madison and updated Illustrated Biographies of the Justices to be the Commerce Clause, published soon. The last edition, which was published in in Nation and State.” 1993, ended with the appointment and biography of Justice Thirty-six days later, Clarence Thomas. This edition brings the volume current, the Court handed down adding biographies of the each of the six Justices appointed multiple opinions in since then — Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Ruth Bader the health care case Ginsburg, Justice Stephen Breyer, Justice Samuel Alito, forming what will likely Gregory P. Joseph Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Elena Kagan — and comprise, together with their it updates the biographies of all sitting Justices as well as sequelae, a cornerstone for a Society lecture many decades hence those of Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Justice John Paul on the Commerce Clause in the 21st Centurty. Stevens and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The Society is The quarter just concluded was a very busy one quite pleased that publication is imminent. The volume, like for the Society. In addition to the fi rst three lectures of the all of those produced by the Society, will be available from Silverman Lecture Series, which is perhaps fortuitously the Gift Shop in person or online at http://supremecourtgifts. focused this year on The Supreme Court and Property org. Rights, the Society’s Annual Lecture was delivered on June The Society also has embarked on an ambitious new 4, 2012, by Professor Judith Resnik of Yale Law School, publication, a one-volume history of the federal court system. in collaboration with her husband Professor Dennis Curtis The Society is pleased to partner with the Federal Judicial also of Yale. Professors Resnik and Curtis are the authors Center’s (FJC) History Offi ce to produce this much-needed of Representing Justice: Invention, Controversy, and history. There is no comparable book available so this volume Rights in City-States and Democratic Courtrooms, and will fi ll a real need. Indeed, such a history is specifi cally the Annual Lecture tailored this comprehensive, illustrated identifi ed as a mission of the Society in its 1974 charter. history of the iconography of justice to the iconography in, This book is being written for a wide audience and will, we and represented by, the Supreme Court Building. It was a hope, become a valuable research tool for undergraduate and fascinating lecture that will be featured in a forthcoming graduate students, and a useful resource in academic and issue of the Journal of Supreme Court History. law libraries. The authors will have access to the Society’s The premier event of the quarter was the unique-in- resources and to the valuable data that has been collected history panel discussion among Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, by the FJC’s History Offi ce, as well as the collections of the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Sonia Sotomayor and National Archives. The project will be shepherded by Clare Justice Elena Kagan honoring the 30th Anniversary of the Cushman, the Society’s Director of Publications and author First Term of Justice O’Connor. Held on April 11, 2012, of many of its award-winning publications, and by Bruce this program marked the fi rst time that all four of the women Ragsdale, Ph.D., the Director of the FJC’s History Offi ce. who have ever served on the Supreme Court of the United The volume is intended to promote increased understanding States have appeared together in a public program. It was of the Federal Courts and Federal Judiciary, and their vital a captivating and open conversation ably moderated by Jim role in our system of government and the nation’s history. Duff, President of the Newseum. The event was broadcast Every sitting Federal Judge will receive a copy. Producing live by C-SPAN, and it received extensive press coverage, this book entails a signifi cant fi nancial commitment on the as it deserved to. The lead story in this issue provides an part of the Society. Some crucial contributions have been in-depth look at the program, which you can watch via a link received and the work has commenced. This is a multi- on the Society’s website, www.supremecourthistory.org. year undertaking and will require additional funding. We In addition to the fi rst three lectures of the 2012 are hopeful that foundations and other organizations with an Leon Silverman Lecture Series staged this Spring — each of interest in national historical projects will support the project. which was insightful and informative — two further lectures Should you be aware of such an entity, please contact me or in this year’s series will be delivered this Fall. The topics, a member of the Society’s staff. speakers and schedule for those programs appear on page 13 2 You play a vital role in the success of the Society generosity of its members and public spirited organizations, and we rely upon your generosity and participation as we and it is extremely grateful for your support. endeavor to continue to advance the mission of collecting and preserving the history of the Court. A key goal is to promote scholarship. The Society is dependent on the Clerks’ Corner Chief Justice Rehnquist: Reminiscences from Clerking By Jeffrey L.

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