Statue of Late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Be Erected in New York City

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at a discussion at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington on Feb. 10, 2020. Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images

New York will honor the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a statue in Brooklyn, where she was born, according to state officials.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a Sept. 19 statement that he will appoint a commission to pick an artist and oversee the selection of a location.

“The commission will be appointed in the coming days and, when formed, will provide recommendations to the Governor pertaining to the design, location and installation of the new memorial,” Cuomo said.

Ginsburg, a member of the Supreme Court’s liberal wing, died Sept. 18 at the age of 87 due to complications from pancreatic cancer.

“While the family of New York mourns Justice Ginsburg’s death, we remember proudly that she started her incredible journey right here in Brooklyn,” Cuomo said in his remarks. “Her legacy will live on in the progress she created for our society, and this statue will serve as a physical reminder of her many contributions to the America we know today and as an inspiration for those who will continue to build on her immense body of work for generations to come.”

Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her chambers at the Supreme Court in Washington on July 31, 2014. Cliff Owen/AP Photo

Cuomo also ordered state landmarks, including the One World Trade Center, the Grand Central Terminal, and Kosciuszko Bridge, lit in blue for the night on Sept. 19. Blue was reportedly Ginsburg’s favorite color.

“New Yorkers from all walks of life should reflect on the life of Justice Ginsburg and remember all that she did for our nation as we view these beautifully lit monuments tonight,” Cuomo said in a separate statement.

In the months leading up to her death, Ginsburg dealt with a number of health issues and was hospitalized several times. She is survived by two children, Jane Carol Ginsburg and James Steven Ginsburg, as well as four grandchildren.

“Our nation has lost a jurist of historic stature. We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement. “Today, we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her—a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”

President Donald Trump, former presidents, governors, federal jurists, and lawmakers led tributes.

Trump issued a formal proclamation that honored Ginsburg as a “trailblazer, not only in the field of law, but in the history of our country,” and ordered flags flown at half-staff.

“Renowned for her powerful dissents at the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg epitomized powerful yet respectful argument; that you can disagree with someone without being disagreeable to them,” Trump wrote in the proclamation.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said in a statement on Twitter: “Ruth Bader Ginsburg stood for all of us. She was an American hero, a giant of legal doctrine, and a relentless voice in the pursuit of that highest American ideal: Equal Justice Under Law.”

Ginsburg’s death has set up a fierce battle over nominating a replacement for the now-vacant Supreme Court seat, with Trump and his Republican supporters vowing to proceed with a nomination ahead of the Nov. 3 election, while Biden and Democrats call on the president to wait until after the presidential vote.