US Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to be honoured with New York statue
New York will honour the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a statue in Brooklyn, her birthplace, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday.
Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, died of metastatic pancreatic cancer Friday at age 87. She was surrounded by family in her Washington DC home.
The governor will appoint a commission to select an artist and oversee the choosing of a location.
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be honoured with a statue in her native Brooklyn, New York. AP
"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.
"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."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was "crushed" by the loss, tweeting that Ginsburg was a "daughter of Brooklyn" and a "tenacious spirit who moved this country forward in fairness, equality and morality."
Ginsburg was born in Brooklyn in 1933. Her family were members of the Conservative East Midwood Jewish Centre.
"I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam." AP
She was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. Ginsburg voted progressively on social issues including abortion rights, same-sex marriage, voting rights, immigration, health care and affirmative action.
Ginsburg, whose name has become synonymous with the fight for gender equality, was nicknamed the Notorious RBG after slain rap star Notorious B.I.G., who was also from Brooklyn.
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The nickname helped propel her status as something of a pop culture figure.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg with then-US President Bill Clinton in 1993. AP
The justice had suffered from five bouts of cancer; the most recent was a recurrence early this year, when a biopsy revealed lesions on her liver.
In a statement released in July, Ginsburg said her chemotherapy was having "positive results".
"I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam. I remain fully able to do that," she said.
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