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Because of Her Story
To create a more equitable and just American society, the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative will create, disseminate, and amplify the historical record of the accomplishments of American women.
Sandra Day O'Connor
I WAS IN my office in Arizona when the phone rang. It was President Ronald Reagan. “Sandra, I’d like to announce your appointment tomorrow to the Supreme Court. Is that okay with you?” From that day on my life changed.
As the first female justice, I didn’t have a choice of robes. Most of what was available was a choir or academic robe. I brought my judicial robe from Arizona.
No one made collars for women. The only place I could find them was in Europe. I did manage to get one or two from France.
Sandra Day O’Connor’s robe, worn at her swearing-in, is at the Smithsonian. It will be used to tell her story and other women’s stories of blazing new trails.
Credits
Photo: Sandra Day O’Connor ducks behind a potted plant before making a statement to reporters after she was named to the United States Supreme Court, September 15, 1981, AP Images PHOTO DENNIS COOK
Content: Terry Gross, Fresh Air, WHYY, March 5, 2013 Jan Smith, interview with Sandra Day O’Connor, 2015. National Portrait Gallery; Sandra Day O’Connor Explores Supreme Court History, Inner Workings, PBS NewsHour, April 4, 2013
News
Read about the Smithsonian's latest scholarship on women's history, get inspired with stories from our collections, and see other updates.
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CreditsOris Sanjur, current acting director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, speaking at the "Working Women: The Smithsonian Institution as a Case Study" symposium on December 18, 2019. Photograph by Michael Barnes.
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CreditsPoster advocating for Angela Davis. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
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Discover Her Story
In these themes you will find stories and objects from women who have shaped America as we know it through their work, creativity, and resolve.
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