1998: Sandra Day O’Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor (March 26, 1930 - December 1, 2023) holds a revered place in American history as the first woman to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice from 1981 to 2006. Beyond her groundbreaking judicial career, Sandra was an esteemed member and Past President of the Junior League of Phoenix, Arizona.
Recognized for her exceptional commitment to community service, Sandra received the 1998 Association of Junior Leagues International Mary Harriman Community Leadership Award, highlighting her dedication to bringing greater quality to the lives of others. Her legacy within the Junior League family is marked by a passion for advocacy and a profound impact on the lives she touched.
In addition to her legal accomplishments, Sandra Day O'Connor served as a beacon of inspiration, embodying the values of justice, equality, and public service. Her trailblazing journey and impactful contributions continue to inspire Junior League members to lead with purpose and make a positive difference in their communities.
May Sandra's enduring legacy serve as a guiding light, inspiring generations of Junior League members to strive for excellence in both service and leadership.
Causes/Issue Area(s): Public Service, Constitutional Law
Honors/Achievements: First female Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009
It may be difficult for women who weren’t there at the time to understand, but Sandra Day O’Connor’s swearing in as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States 30 years ago was a very big deal.
The first woman to serve on the Court, she was widely acknowledged during her 25-year tenure as a careful and thoughtful jurist who ruled on many of the most important legal issues of her time.
Even before spending a quarter of a century on the Supreme Court, however, the former Junior League of Phoenix President led a life of public service.
Born and raised on a cattle ranch in Arizona, an experience she chronicled in a book she wrote with her brother, Lazy B: Growing up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest in 2003, she graduated from Stanford Law School, where she served on the Stanford Law Review. Unable to find a job with a law firm in California, she became a county prosecutor.
She entered Arizona politics, first as Assistant Attorney General and later as a member of the Arizona State Senate, later becoming the first female majority leader in a state legislature.
In 1981, after serving on the Arizona Court of Appeals, she was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan, making her the last Supreme Court Justice to have started out in politics.
Nearly 30 years later, in 2009, Justice O’Connor was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by President Barack Obama. It was a fitting capstone on a fruitful life in public service.
Justice O'Connor’s other commitments have included serving as Chancellor of The College of William & Mary and as a trustee of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.