Childhood and Education Journey of Sandra Day O'Connor in Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Sandra Day O'Connor. A timeline of key moments.

Sandra Day O'Connor was a pioneering American jurist who served as the first female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan, she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. Prior to her Supreme Court tenure, O'Connor served as an Arizona state judge and legislator, becoming the first female majority leader of a state senate. Often described as a moderate conservative, she frequently acted as a swing vote on the Court, playing a crucial role in many landmark decisions.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

March 26, 1930: Sandra Day O'Connor Born

On March 26, 1930, Sandra Day O'Connor was born in El Paso, Texas. She later became the first female U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Others born on this day/year

1946: Graduated High School

In 1946, Sandra Day O'Connor graduated sixth in her class at Austin High School in El Paso.

1950: Graduation from Stanford University

In 1950, Sandra Day graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in economics from Stanford University. She also dated William Rehnquist in 1950.

1951: Marriage Proposal

In 1951, William Rehnquist proposed marriage to Sandra Day O'Connor in a letter, but she did not accept it.

December 20, 1952: Marriage to John Jay O'Connor III

On December 20, 1952, Sandra Day O'Connor married John Jay O'Connor III at her family's ranch.

1952: Graduation from Stanford Law School

In 1952, Sandra Day O'Connor graduated from Stanford Law School.

1958: Birth of Son Scott

In 1958, Sandra Day O'Connor and her husband had their first son, Scott.

1960: Birth of Son Brian

In 1960, Sandra Day O'Connor and her husband had their second son, Brian.

1962: Birth of Son Jay

In 1962, Sandra Day O'Connor and her husband had their third son, Jay.

1964: Goldwater Campaign

In 1964, Sandra Day O'Connor served on Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign.

1980: Reagan's Pledge

During his 1980 presidential campaign, Ronald Reagan pledged to appoint the first woman to the Court.

1988: Treated for breast cancer and had appendix removed

In 1988, Sandra Day O'Connor was successfully treated for breast cancer and also had her appendix removed. Her husband also left his law firm the same year.

2000: Expressed regret over Bush v. Gore case

In 2000, Sandra Day O'Connor reflected on her time on the Supreme Court and expressed regret that the Court heard the Bush v. Gore case, stating it "stirred up the public" and "gave the Court a less-than-perfect reputation."

2001: Dixon Arrested

In 2001, Clarence Dixon was arrested after DNA evidence identified him in the murder of Deana Lynne Bowdoin.

2002: Lazy B: Growing up on a Cattle Ranch

In 2002, Sandra Day O'Connor and her brother, H. Alan Day, wrote "Lazy B: Growing up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest" about their childhood experiences.

2005: Elected as honorary fellow and became Chancellor of the College of William & Mary

In 2005, Sandra Day O'Connor was elected as an honorary fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, and accepted the role of the 23rd Chancellor of the College of William & Mary.

April 5, 2006: Arizona State University named its law school the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

On April 5, 2006, Arizona State University named its law school the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law in her honor.

May 15, 2006: Delivered commencement address at William & Mary School of Law

On May 15, 2006, Sandra Day O'Connor gave the commencement address at the William & Mary School of Law, where she said that judicial independence is "under serious attack at both the state and national level".

2006: Joined Iraq Study Group and Board of the Rockefeller Foundation

In 2006, Sandra Day O'Connor was appointed to the Iraq Study Group and became a trustee on the board of the Rockefeller Foundation.

2007: Chaired the Jamestown 2007 celebration

In 2007, Sandra Day O'Connor chaired the Jamestown 2007 celebration, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the founding of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.

April 22, 2008: Named Harry Rathbun Visiting Fellow and gave lecture

On April 22, 2008, Sandra Day O'Connor was named an inaugural Harry Rathbun Visiting Fellow by the Office for Religious Life at Stanford University. She also gave "Harry's Last Lecture on a Meaningful Life".

October 2008: Spoke on racial equality in education and received the Charles Hamilton Houston Justice Award

In October 2008, Sandra Day O'Connor spoke on racial equality in education at a conference hosted by the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School. Later in the conference, she was awarded the Charles Hamilton Houston Justice Award alongside Desmond Tutu and Dolores Huerta.

2008: The Sandra Day O'Connor Project on the State of the Judiciary held annual conferences

In 2006 through 2008, The Sandra Day O'Connor Project on the State of the Judiciary, named for O'Connor, held annual conferences on the independence of the judiciary.

February 2009: Launched "Our Courts" website

In February 2009, Sandra Day O'Connor launched "Our Courts", a website to offer interactive civics lessons to students and teachers.

March 3, 2009: Appeared on "The Daily Show"

On March 3, 2009, Sandra Day O'Connor appeared on the satirical television program "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" to promote the "Our Courts" website.

August 2009: Added online interactive games to "Our Courts" website

In August 2009, the "Our Courts" website added two online interactive games.

2009: Founded the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute

In 2009, Sandra Day O'Connor founded the non-profit organization now known as the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute.

2009: Husband's death and moved back to Phoenix

In 2009, Sandra Day O'Connor's husband passed away after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for nearly 20 years. After retiring from the Court, O'Connor moved back to Phoenix, Arizona.

May 2010: "Our Courts" initiative expanded, becoming iCivics

In May 2010, the "Our Courts" initiative expanded, becoming iCivics offering free lesson plans, games, and interactive videogames for middle and high school educators.

2011: Founding co-chair of National Advisory Board at the National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD)

In 2011, Sandra Day O'Connor was a founding co-chair of the National Advisory Board at the National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD).

2012: Ended role as Chancellor of the College of William & Mary

In 2012, Sandra Day O'Connor concluded her role as the Chancellor of the College of William & Mary.

April 2013: Joined Justice at Stake as honorary chair

In April 2013, Sandra Day O'Connor joined Justice at Stake, a national judicial reform advocacy organization, as honorary chair.

2013: Friends and colleagues noticed she was becoming more forgetful and less talkative.

Around 2013, Sandra Day O'Connor's friends and colleagues noticed that she was becoming more forgetful and less talkative.

September 17, 2014: Appeared on Jeopardy! and gave a talk on civics education

On September 17, 2014, Sandra Day O'Connor appeared on Jeopardy! and provided video answers. On the same day, she gave a talk alongside Justice David Souter about the importance of meaningful civics education.

November 2015: Became trustee emeritus for the National Constitution Center

By November 2015, Sandra Day O'Connor had transitioned to being a trustee emeritus for the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

2015: iCivics games reached 72,000 registered teachers and 30 million plays

By 2015, the iCivics games had 72,000 teachers as registered users and its games had been played 30 million times.

February 2016: Argued for immediate replacement of Antonin Scalia

In February 2016, Sandra Day O'Connor argued in favor of President Barack Obama naming the replacement for Antonin Scalia, opposing Republican arguments to wait until the next president.

May 7, 2016: Younger sister killed in car accident

On May 7, 2016, Sandra Day O'Connor's younger sister, Ann Day, was killed in a car accident in Tucson, Arizona, as a result of a collision with a drunk driver.

2017: Back problems led her to use a wheelchair and move to an assisted living facility.

In 2017, back problems led Sandra Day O'Connor to use a wheelchair, and to her moving to an assisted living facility.

October 2018: Announced retirement from public life due to dementia diagnosis

In October 2018, Sandra Day O'Connor announced her effective retirement from public life after disclosing that she had been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer's-like dementia.

2019: Former adobe residence listed on the National Register of Historic Places

In 2019, Sandra Day O'Connor's former adobe residence in Arizona, curated by the O'Connor Institute, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.