VOLUME XLII NUMBER 3 & 4, 2020 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Lies in Repose By Kathleen Shurtleff Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, appointed to the Supreme 2016 by Constance P. Beaty was displayed in the Great Hall Court in 1993, passed away at her home on September 18, where her flag–draped casket lay for a brief ceremony. On 2020 at the age of 87. At the time of her death, she had prior similar occasions, the casket remained in the Great become the second Associate Justice in order of seniority on Hall while visitors filed past to pay their final respects, but the Court. Her 20th year of service on the Court corresponded given the health concerns, it was not possible to follow this with her 80th birthday. Justice Ginsburg had defeated colon tradition. cancer in 1999, but early Court States Collection of the Supreme of the United Schilling, Fred by Photograph The members of the stage pancreatic cancer Supreme Court and occurred approximately their spouses, and the 10 years later. Justice’s immediate Throughout her medical family gathered in challenges, Justice the Great Hall for the Ginsburg continued to arrival of the casket. A carry a full work load on ceremony was held at the Court, and she was 9:30 AM at which time preparing for the October Chief Justice John G. Term 2020 at the time of Roberts, Jr. made formal her death. remarks on behalf of the As with many of her Court. Following some predecessors, the Justice private time, the Justice’s was honored by lying casket was moved to an in repose in the Great area immediately under Hall of the Supreme Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. paid tribute to Justice Ruth Bader the portico, outside the Court Building. COVID Ginsburg in a ceremony in the Great Hall. front doors of the Court concerns necessitated a where in the sunlight of change from previous a beautiful autumn day ceremonies of this nature, but some elements were retained. and into the night, it lay in repose surrounded by a bier of In keeping with the tradition, her casket was carried up the flowers. Members of the public paid their respects from the front steps of the building to be positioned in the Great plaza level of the building until approximately 10 PM that Hall. Former law clerks to the Justice served as honorary evening. The following day, the Justice also lay in repose pallbearers and lined the front steps as the casket arrived. on the portico of the Court to allow people to pay their Supreme Court police officers served as pallbearers. The respects. On Friday, September 25, the Justice lay in state casket lay upon the catafalque that once bore the body of in the Rotunda of the Capitol Building, an unusual honor President Abraham Lincoln. Her former colleagues Justices customarily reserved for political figures. Justice Ginsburg John Paul Stevens, Antonin Scalia, and Chief Justice William was the first woman to be so honored, joining 34 men who H. Rehnquist were honored in this manner, as well as five have also lain in state. previous Justices. A portrait of Justice Ginsburg painted in These honors mirrored Justice Ginsburg’s career during Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Lies in Repose continued on Page 4 A Letter from the President which yielded $2.6 million for the Society’s endowment. It is with bittersweet Once again, when Frank stepped down as President, David thoughts that I announce the quietly raised an endowment to fund a permanent program retirement of the Society’s named in Frank’s honor—the Frank C. Jones Supreme Court long-time Executive Director, Reenactment series. David T. Pride. True to his Ralph Lancaster succeeded Frank as President and commitment until the very continued to rely upon David to guide the Society into the end, David has also helped us future. When the Court announced its first major renovation to secure a successor whom project since 1935, Ralph and David worked together to I believe will be a perfect raise funds for a new Gift Shop that would be in keeping fit for the Society and the with the architectural fabric of the Supreme Court Building. Court: James Duff. Jim, a Ultimately, their efforts produced a Gift Shop that pleases long-time member of the both the Court and the Society. Society, assumed the office Ralph was, in turn, succeeded as President by Greg on February 1st following Joseph—the Society’s current Chairman of the Board. Greg President Chilton D Varner David’s retirement. placed the same trust in David as had his predecessors. When Many of you know Jim, or Greg conceived a new fund-raising venue for the Society know of him, by virtue of his long affiliation with the Court, in the form of the New York Gala, he relied upon David to the Society and the whole of the federal judiciary. I will give marshal the Society’s resources to bring the Gala to fruition. a longer account of his impressive career later in this letter. Held every other year, it has produced important infusions But first, we should reflect upon the exceptional tenure of for the endowment and other reserves. our dear friend, out-going Executive Director David Pride. When I succeeded Greg, I inherited a Society that was That this is an organization where staff tenures are more debt-free, housed in its own headquarters, and funded by a often measured not in years, but in decades, is a testament substantial endowment and other reserves. We also had a to the loyalty that David has inspired. It is appropriate to robust array of programs, and publications. Notwithstanding recount some of the Society’s many accomplishments under the pandemic, we have a Society that is stable and secure, his leadership. thanks to David’s imaginative leadership and his conservative David has served the Society nobly since joining its staff management of our resources. Stated simply, David Pride in 1979, rising to the post of Executive Director in 1987. has built the Supreme Court Historical Society into what it Working closely with then-President Justin Stanley, he is today. He has served us for more than 40 years and we are oversaw the creation of the Society’s endowment. Today, the better for it. that endowment funds and assures the longevity of the As we enter a new era of leadership, I am equally confident Society’s programs and undertakings, and – indeed – our that the Society will be in fine hands. As many of you know, overall mission. Jim Duff has had a long and distinguished connection with the When Justin was succeeded by Leon Silverman, Leon Court, beginning with service as aide to Chief Justice Warren and David worked to institute many of the Society’s long- Burger. He subsequently served as Administrative Assistant standing programs: the National Heritage Lecture, the Erwin (a post now referred to as “Counselor to the Chief Justice”) Griswold Prize Lecture, and a recurring lecture series at the for Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Later, he served two Court. At the close of Leon’s tenure, David quietly raised non-consecutive terms as Director of the Administrative an endowment to fund the lecture series, and persuaded the Office of the U.S. Courts – all of them. Appointed initially Executive Committee to name it in Leon’s honor. David and by Chief Justice Roberts in 2006, he returned to that post in Leon also worked to provide funding for an expansion of the 2015 when Chief Justice Roberts requested that he return. In Journal of Supreme Court History to three issues annually; creation of the Annual Fund; and acquisition of the Society’s headquarters at Opperman House. Quarterly My previous law partner and mentor, Frank Jones, succeeded Leon. Frank did not hesitate to look to David Published four times yearly in Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter by the Supreme Court Historical Society, to help him usher the Society into its next phase of 224 E. Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20003. Tel. accomplishment. Frank and David saw to the completion of (202) 543-0400, http://www.supremecourthistory.org. a 29-year research project—the Documentary History of the Distributed to members of the Society, law libraries, Supreme Court’s first decade. With the invaluable leadership interested individuals, and professional associations. and remarkable energy of Ralph Lancaster, the Society also mounted a successful campaign to secure Congressional Managing Editor Kathleen Shurtleff passage of the John Marshall Commemorative Coin Bill, Advisory Editor James B. O’Hara 2 the interim, Jim served as Chief Executive and President of the Giles Seminar at Georgetown. Not least, he has served Washington’s Newseum. on the Executive Committee of the Society. In addition, Jim has had a distinguished career in private In short, Jim brings a truly admirable set of credentials to law practice, including service as managing partner of the the Society. I am sure that in the weeks and months ahead Washington office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & you will each come to know him better and recognize the Berkowitz. He also teaches constitutional law at Georgetown extraordinary fit and opportunities he brings to our Society. University, as an adjunct professor. He was named the Peter David leaves an impressive legacy, and I know that the Mullen Professor of Law at Georgetown University for the Membership will extend to Jim the same degree of support fall of 2014 after previously serving as the first lecturer of and engagement that David has enjoyed so much. A New Online Exhibit on the Court’s Website By Maya Foo* The Curator’s Office at the Supreme Court recently Court States Collection of the Supreme of the United posted a second online exhibition, In Re Lady Lawyers: The Rise of Women Attorneys and the Supreme Court, organized by Exhibitions Coordinator Maya Foo.