Lake View East in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Legacy of Matthew Shepard

A Brief History of Hate Crimes Legislation

— The Legacy Walk —

The Legacy of Matthew Shepard Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, December 7, 2021

1. The Legacy of Matthew Shepard Marker

Inscription. The first U.S. law enacted to combat hate crimes – The Civil Rights Act of 1871 – tried to curtail Ku Klux Klan violence during the Post-Civil War Reconstruction Era. It would be another one hundred twenty years before the first federal statute to include sexual minorities — The Hate Crimes Statistics Act — was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on April 23, 1993. Efforts to expand on that landmark legislation over the next quarter-century were met with fierce opposition by religious groups who rejected any legal protections covering “sexual orientation.” This all changed in 1998 after two shocking murders. First, James Byrd, Jr., a Black man, was chained to the bumper of a pick-up truck and dragged to his death on June 7, 1998. Then, on October 7, 1998, a young gay college student named Matthew Shepard was tied to a fence, severely beaten about the head and neck, and left to die by two local men he met in a bar in Laramie, Wyoming. He succumbed to his injuries on October 12, 1998. Coming only months after Byrd’s horrific race-motivated killing, Shepard’s murder – in a state without any hate crimes laws – ignited

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outrage against anti-LGBTQ violence, as well. Originally introduced in November 1997, The Hate Crimes Prevention Act sought to compensate for the lack of hate crimes laws in many states by enacting a federal hate crimes statute that included sexual orientation, gender and disability while also strengthening penalties for hate crimes based on race, religion and national origin. But religious opposition continued. Even after it was reintroduced as The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act in May 2005—heralded by scores of mental health and law enforcement professionals—President George W. Bush’s opposition to all LGBTQ-affirming initiatives doomed its passage in 2007. It was not until President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law on October 28, 2009, that the 13-year crusade—spearheaded by Matthew's parents, Dennis and Judy Shepard—found closure. Though his young life was taken before he could reach his full potential, Matthew Shepard will forever be remembered as a catalyst for truly historic changes in our nation's laws. With more than 1 in 4 transgender women of

The Legacy of Matthew Shepard Marker - wide view, looking south on North Halsted image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, December 7, 2021

2. The Legacy of Matthew Shepard Marker - wide view, looking south on North Halsted

The marker is visible here mounted to a rainbow pylon that it shares with a marker for Pauli Murray.

color likely to be the victim of a violent assault, these laws are more important than ever.

Erected 2021 by The Legacy Project.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Civil Rights. In addition, it is included in the The Legacy Walk series list. A significant historical date for this entry is October 12, 1998.

Location. 41° 56.651′ N, 87° 38.97′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Lake View East. It is on North Halsted Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3418 North Halsted Street, Chicago IL 60657, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pauli Murray (here, next to this marker); Vito Russo

Marker inset image. Click for full size.

3. Marker inset

(a few steps from this marker); Billy Strayhorn (a few steps from this marker); Newport Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); Stonewall (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Harvey Milk (about 300 feet away); Frank Kameny (about 300 feet away); Sgt. Leonard Matlovich (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

Other markers no longer nearby. "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); Dr. Margaret "Mom" Chung (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed).

More about this marker. This marker is installed on the pylon on which the marker for "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was located, which has since been retired.

Also see . . .
1. Our Story (Matthew Shepard Foundation). (Submitted on December 19, 2021.)
2. Have We Got Matthew Shepard All Wrong? (The Advocate, 09/13/2013). The Advocate reviews Stephen Jimenez' book on the murder of Matthew Shepard, The Book of Matt. Jimenez' book took issue with a number of commonly then-accepted ideas about the murder, particularly with regards to the murderers'

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motives and the circumstances surrounding the murder.

Article excerpt: "What if nearly everything you thought you knew about Matthew Shepard’s murder was wrong? What if our most fiercely held convictions about the circumstances of that fatal night of October 6, 1998, have obscured other, more critical, aspects of the case? How do people sold on one version of history react to being told that facts are slippery — that thinking of Shepard’s murder as a hate crime does not mean it was a hate crime? And how does it color our understanding of such a crime if the perpetrator and victim not only knew each other but also had sex together, bought drugs from one another, and partied together?"

(Submitted on December 20, 2021.)

3. Hate Crime (Wikipedia).

"A hate crime (also known as a bias-motivated crime or bias crime) is a prejudice-motivated crime which occurs when a perpetrator targets a victim because of their membership (or perceived membership) of a certain social group or racial demographic."

(Submitted on December 20, 2021.)

Additional keywords. lgbt lgbtq

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 19, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 504 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 19, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.