History

2006
Over the next three years, a cast of citizens mobilized to save the Adobe home which had been scheduled for demolition. Dismantled brick by brick and reconstructed in a pristine desert setting, Justice O’Connor visits the site to view the progress with Adobe expert Janie Ellis, shown speaking with the Justice.

2006
Friends of O’Connor House formed to raise funds and preserve the O’Connor family home. Among friends standing with Justice O’Connor in the nearly finished living room are Secretary Barbara Barrett, Janie Ellis, Pam Hait, Kim Sterling-Heflin, Gay Wray, Lucia Howard and Elva Coor. The preservation project took several years.

2009
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor inspects the final touches on the relocation of her family home from Paradise Valley to Papago Park. Highlights: Following her retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice O’Connor founds both the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy and iCivics. O'Connor House receives Certificate of Occupancy in September, and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places

2009
O'Connor House Preserved and Institute Founded

2010
O'Connor House receives a large grant from the Avon Foundation For Women to address domestic violence in the legal field.

2010
To raise funds for the continued conservation of the historic O’Connor House, a Supreme Evening of Jazz was held. Justice O’Connor welcomes a guest on stage as Board member Gay Firestone Wray looks on.

2010
Justice O’Connor speaks about the importance of civil discourse and collaboration.

2011
Following the program, Justice O’Connor welcomed Condoleezza Rice and guests to tour O’Connor House where the Justice presented her with a John Henry Waddell bronze honoring citizens of our nation.

2011
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Don Budinger share the stage with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for the first Distinguished Speakers Series program.

2012
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor with son Brian Day O’Connor at the dinner.

2012
Our Supreme Evening of Statehood paid tribute to Arizona’s centennial. Leaders and volunteers honored at the event included Elva Coor, the Honorable Hugh Hallman and the Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

Peter Sagal, host of PBS’ Constitution USA documentary, filmed part of the program at the historic O’Connor House and interviewed Justice O’Connor about the Constitution.

2012
Justice O’Connor welcomes NASA Astronaut Catherine “Cady” Coleman and her family to the historic O’Connor House. Colonel Colman logged 159 days on the International Space Station. Earlier, she had received a scarf honoring Justice O’Connor's Supreme Court appointment and took it to the Space Station. She left a corner of it behind to remind her fellow astronauts of Justice O’Connor and her civil discourse legacy.

2012
Former president of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev is greeted by Justice O’Connor, Ambassador Barbara Barrett and Dr. Lattie Coor at our Distinguished Speakers Series.

2012
Our Distinguished Speakers Series welcomed Pulitzer Prize-winning author and noted historian David McCullough. Following his remarks, legendary broadcaster Hugh Downs moderated the on-stage conversation that included Justice O'Connor.

2013
Justice O’Connor participated in a press conference at the O’Connor House to discuss the importance of civics education and civic engagement.

2013
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke on the topic of leadership at our Distinguished Speakers Series, where he was thanked by Justice O'Connor.

2013
At a charitable benefit for our organization, Justice O’Connor is flanked by Dinner Co-Chairs Don Bivens and Patricia Refo. A Supreme Evening at the Lazy B Ranch honored her southwest upbringing.

2013
Washington Post columnist David Ignatius addressed world matters at our Distinguished Speakers Series. Following his remarks, Justice O'Connor joined him for an onstage conversation.

2013
Justice O’Connor welcomes Adam Driggs for a legislative dinner to encourage civil discourse among elected leaders.

2014
Gabby Giffords attended a meeting at the Institute on the issue of domestic violence.

2014
Justice O’Connor sits with her brother Alan Day prior to his interview for our Oral History Project where he reflected on growing up with his sister.

2014
Past President of Latvia and U.N. Special Envoy, Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga visits with Justice O’Connor prior to her speech on global democracy at our Distinguished Speakers Series.

2014
The Institute co-hosted a Gubernatorial Debate with the local PBS station. Here, Justice O’Connor arrives with Board Member Peter Hayes who is greeted by the honorable Doug Ducey.

2014
Justice O'Connor regularly presided at our Board of Directors meetings over the years. At her request, a Board meeting took place at the O'Connor House, symbolic of civil discourse and consensus building.

2014
Justice O’Connor visited with the students and congratulated them on their studies. Afterward, they toured the historic O’Connor House conserved by the Institute as part of their field trip.

2014
Justice O’Connor joins leading civics teachers and Scott Bales, her former Supreme Court Law Clerk who became Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice. The event was held in support of civics education.

2014
Our Issues & Answers Forum explored the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case, Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. The landmark ruling upheld so-called “dark money” contributions to political campaigns, stating "there are other groups now free to spend unrestricted funds advocating the election or defeat of candidates.”

2014
To encourage voting, Justice O’Connor prepares to record a Public Service Announcement at the Institute.

2014
Senators Sam Nunn and Alan Simpson are greeted by Justice O'Connor at our Distinguished Speakers Series. They inspired the audience with their remarks on the topic of working across the aisle and statesmanship.

2014
To encourage civil discourse, Justice O’Connor spoke at our Chats & Chalupas legislative dinner at the historic O’Connor House. It featured Mexican food utilizing her recipes that she herself used when hosting Senate colleagues at her home in the 1970s.

2014
Philanthropist Jerry Hirsch is honored at our benefit, Supreme Evening at the Lazy B, where he is congratulated by Justice O'Connor.

2014
Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Admiral James Stavridis is greeted by Justice O’Connor prior to his Distinguished Speakers Series presentation on cyber security.

2014
David Gergen, of the Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership, discusses American history and democracy at our Distinguished Speakers Series. He was joined afterwards by Justice O'Connor for an onstage conversation.

2014
To address the prevention of child sex trafficking, Justice O’Connor was the keynote speaker at annual lodging industry executive luncheon. Her speech resulted in the formation of an industry task force in collaboration with our organization, which resulted in the training of thousands of hotel employees across the country.

2015
Justice O’Connor joins a breakfast honoring civics educators.

2015
Dinner With Churchill started our tradition of an annual history dinner. Justice O’Connor thanks the presenting sponsor Nanci Bruner and Dinner With Churchill author Cita Stelzer.

2015
Four-Star General Duncan McNabb is welcomed by Justice O’Connor for our Distinguished Speakers Series. General McNabb discussed global security, including audience Q&A moderated by journalist Aaron Brown.

2016
Nobel Peace Prize winner F.W. de Klerk, former President of South Africa, offered insightful remarks about apartheid at our Distinguished Speakers Series. He engaged in a warm conversation with Justice O’Connor.

2016
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham spoke on a leading Founding Father and his book, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power. Justice O’Connor chose Thomas Jefferson as the subject for our annual History Dinner.

2016
His Excellency Cui Tiankai, Ambassador to the United States from the People’s Republic of China, engages in a discussion with Justice O’Connor at our Distinguished Speakers Series.

2016
Author Chris Matthews spoke on his book, Tip and The Gipper, When Politics Worked at our Distinguished Speakers Series. His New York Times bestseller recounted the friendship and historic dealings between Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill and President Ronald Reagan.

2017
Former U.S. Ambassador to India, David Mulford, greets Justice O’Connor prior to his remarks at our Patrons Circle Salon.

2017
Former U.S. Ambassador to India, David Mulford, greets Justice O’Connor prior to his remarks at our Patrons Circle Salon.

2017
Former U.S. Ambassador to India, David Mulford, greets Justice O’Connor prior to his remarks at our Patrons Circle Salon.

2017
Former U.S. Ambassador to India, David Mulford, greets Justice O’Connor prior to his remarks at our Patrons Circle Salon.

2017
Former U.S. Ambassador to India, David Mulford, greets Justice O’Connor prior to his remarks at our Patrons Circle Salon.

2017
Former U.S. Ambassador to India, David Mulford, greets Justice O’Connor prior to his remarks at our Patrons Circle Salon.

2018
In October 2018, Justice O’Connor issued a public letter announcing her retirement from public life. Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement that "no illness or condition can take away the inspiration she provides for those who will follow the many paths she has blazed." He added that “Justice O’Connor is of course a towering figure in the history of the United States and indeed the world.”