Matthew Shepard

Matthew Wayne Shepard (Dec. 1, 1976 – Oct. 12, 1998) was an openly gay student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyo., in October 1998. He was attacked on the night of October 6–7, and died a few days later at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colo., on October 12 from severe head injuries. During the trial it was widely reported that Shepard was targeted because he was gay. Shepard’s murder brought national and international attention to hate crime legislation at both the state and federal levels. In October 2009, the U.S. Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Matthew Shepard Act for short), and on Oct. 28, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the legislation into law. [ Wikipedia → ]

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Matthew Shepard’s mother touched by Jason Collins’ tribute

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The mother of a gay University of Wyoming student who was robbed and beaten to death in 1998 says she finds it touching that NBA veteran Jason Collins honored her son by wearing jersey No. 98. [ Read more → ]

Imagine…

Friday, March 22, 2013

“Take just 80 seconds of your time to watch this powerful video, which imagines a world without racism, homophobia or anti-Semitism — a world in which the hate violence that took the lives of Martin Luther King Jr., Anne Frank, Daniel Pearl, Matthew Shepard and others did not happen." [ Read more → ]

Remembering Matt Shepard and his passion for human rights

Friday, October 12, 2012

Today marks 14 years since the day we lost Matt Shepard. I know from the conversations I’ve had with many of you that those terrible days in October 1998 echo in your memories: where you were, how it felt, the fears, the outrage and the questions you were left with. [ Read more → ]

For Matthew Shepard and countless others… the work to erase hate continues

Friday, October 12, 2012

In 1998, Matthew Shepard spent five days in a coma while the world held vigil. And on this day, at 12:53 a.m., 14 years ago, Matthew died. For many, Matthew's death revealed the dangers of being gay in America, and for many LGBTQ people, it reaffirmed the risk they live with every day. [ Read more → ]

The memory and meaning of Matthew Shepard, 14 years later

Saturday, October 6, 2012

On October 7, 1998, Aaron Kreifels was riding his bike through a field in Wyoming. He wasn’t expecting that day to be different from any other beautiful sunny afternoon in the vast plains surrounding Laramie, but that day would change many lives. Aaron spotted what he initially thought was a scarecrow next to a fence. Then he noticed a glisten of blood. The sun sparkled on what he barely recognized as a face. Aaron had discovered 22 year-old Matthew Shepard, clinging to life. [ Read more → ]

For Matthew Shepard and countless others… the work to erase hate continues

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in 2010 on the twelfth anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death. Matthew was brutally attacked on the night of October 6, 1998, then tied to a fence and left to die. Matthew was targeted because he was gay. Matthew... [ Read more → ]

The memory and meaning of Matthew Shepard, 13 years later

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Remembering Matthew Shepard on the 12th anniversary of his murder

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Matthew Shepard was brutally assaulted on a lonely ridge overlooking Laramie, Wyoming twelve years ago this month. And on this day in 1998, he died while in a coma in a Fort Collins, CO, hospital with his family by his side. Much has changed. Much has not. [ Read more → ]

President Obama Commemorates Enactment of Hate Crimes Prevention Act

After decade long battle, federal hate crimes law expanded to include gays (Video)

Thursday, October 29, 2009

It's been more than 10 years since the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was kidnapped, brutally beaten and left to die tied to a fence on a freezing night in the Wyoming wilderness. [ Read more → ]

U.S. Senate passes historic hate crimes bill that would protect gays

Friday, October 23, 2009

The U.S. Senate cleared a historic hate crimes bill Thursday for President Obama's signature, approving new federal penalties for attacks on gay men and lesbians. [ Read more → ]

Judy Shepard on ‘Ellen’ — 11 years later, the pain remains

Saturday, October 10, 2009

On Friday, Judy Shepard appeared on "Ellen" to talk about her new book recounting the murder of her son Matthew, a young gay man and victim of a brutal hate crime. In a heartbreaking interview, she shared what happened that day, and some of the... [ Read more → ]

House vote expands hate crimes protections to gays and lesbians

Friday, October 9, 2009

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to expand the definition of violent federal hate crimes to include those committed because of a victim’s sexual orientation, a step that would extend new protections to gay, lesbian,and transgender people, reports the New York Times. Democrats hailed... [ Read more → ]

‘The Meaning of Matthew…’ – Judy Shepard’s journey, and crusade for gay rights

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard shocked the nation. The 21 year-old college student was viciously murdered in Laramie, WY, bludgeoned to death while tied to a fence. Matthew was targeted because he was gay. Matthew's death and the subsequent trial and convictions of his... [ Read more → ]

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