Remembering and Honoring Matthew Shepard

HRC marks the tragic death of Matthew Shepard 21 years ago. As we mourn with the Shepard family, we recommit to our shared work combating hate and advocating for laws that protect LGBTQ people and mandate the accurate accounting of crimes against our community.

Shepard was attacked in Laramie, Wyoming, in an anti-gay hate crime on Oct. 6, 1998. He died from his injuries six days later. In his memory, HRC remains vigilant in its work against hate and to ensure that no one is targeted because of who they are or who they love.

Since his death, significant progress has been made to expand protections and support for victims of hate-motivated crime, including the 2009 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Just months before Shepard was murdered, Byrd, a Black man, was beaten by a group of white supremacists, tied to the back of a pickup truck and dragged three miles before dying. The Shepard and Byrd families worked tirelessly to pass the historic act.

At this year’s HRC Foundation’s Time to THRIVE conference, Judy and Dennis Shepard were presented with the Upstander Award for their steadfast commitment to advocacy after their son’s horrific murder.

Even with the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, we still have a long way to go…

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