MACON, Ga. — Robert McDuffie is a Grammy-nominated violinist from Macon. He founded the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University. He had the privilege of meeting and talking to late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg twice.
"We were not close friends, but I'd known her for years. Back in the '90s, I helped start a concert program at the US Supreme Court, a concert series that took place about twice a year with former Justice Harry Blackmun, who was our very close, common friend," said McDuffie.
McDuffie said Ginsburg loved classical musical. She attended one of his master classes in Aspen, Colorado.
"I didn't see her again for many, many years until Aspen, Colorado at the music festival. I was giving a masterclass for young students in a concert hall and she was in Aspen at the same time speaking at the Aspen Institute, and she wanted to come to the class, so I was obviously really honored. She was really sweet to come to my event, and I certainly admired her," he said.
McDuffie said his daughter and Ginsburg's granddaughter attended high school and law school together. Ginsburg was an inspiration to him.
"She was righteous about women's rights and obviously a trailblazer, soft-spoken but very direct, and she had a good sense of humor. I'm just grateful for that small time I had with her," he said.
McDuffie said the late Justice Ginsburg will be missed, but her legacy will live on.
The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in repose at the Supreme Court Wednesday and Thursday for the public to say goodbye. Then she will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol on Friday -- she is the first woman to do so.