Search Results

Creator:

Shepard, Matthew, 1976-1998  Search this

Former owner:

Shepard, Dennis  Search this

Shepard, Judy  Search this

Extent:

14.1 Cubic feet (43 boxes, 1 map folder)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Theater programs

Travel brochures

Travel journals

Correspondence

Place:

Wyoming

Date:

1976-2019, undated

Summary:

The papers of Matthew Shepard (1976-1998) a gay man who was a victim of a hate crime in Laramie, Wyoming October 1998 resulting in his death. His death gained national and international attention leading to the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation and eventual passage of federal hate crime legislation (The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act), signed into law in October 2009.

Content Description:

Papers relating to the life of Matthew Shepard, his beating, death, and its aftermath, leading to the passage of anti-hate crime legislation named for him and James Byrd, Jr. The papers include items from Shepard's early life, his school life, elementary through college, and personal material. The collection includes material from his recycling campaign. It also includes items from theater productions in which he participated. There is correspondence both written and received as well as notebooks and his passports. Travel and general ephemera are also included.

The papers related to the aftermath of his beating and death include funeral memorabilia, programs, flower cards, and photographs of floral arrangements. The bulk of the material consists of condolence cards and letters, expressions of sympathy and condolence, and material from memorial events thoughout the United States. These include not only written correspondence, but graphic and artistic tributes (drawings, poetry, screenplays, and musical compositions.)

There are screenplays, correspondence, and photographs relating to the television motion pictures, Anatomy of a Hate Crime (2001) and The Matthew Shepard Story (2002) starring Stockard Channing, Sam Waterston, and Shane Meier.

The papers have been utilized prior to their donation to the Archives, National Museum of American History by filmmaker Michele Josue and Zeina Barkawi for the award winning documentary, Matt Shepard Is A Friend of Mine (2015). The material was also researched by representatives of Ford's Theater, Washington, DC when Ford's mounted a production of Moises Kaufman's The Laramie Project in 2013.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in three series.

Series 1, Shepard, Matthew, Personal Papers, 1976-2018, undated

Subseries 1.1: Education and Schooling, 1981-1998, undated

Subseries 1.2: Correspondence, 1986-1998, undated

Subseries 1.3: Theater Memorabilia, 1986-1992, undated

Subseries 1.4: Assorted Papers and Ephemera, 1976-1999,undated

Subseries 1.5: Funeral and Celebration of Life, Estate, 1998 October-2018 October 26

Series 2, Shepard Family and The Matthew Shepard Foundation, Papers and Correspondence Received, 1998-2013, undated

Subseries 2.1: Papers, 1998-2003, undated

Subseries 2.2: Correspondence Received, 1998 October-2009 September

Series 3, Tribute, Vigil, Memorial Services, Memorabilia, and Inspired Works, 1998-2008, undated

Subseries 3.1: Tribute, Vigil, and Memorial Services, 1998, undated

Subseries 3.2: Memorabilia and Inspired Works,1973-2008, undated

Subseries 3.3: Anatomy of a Hate Crime, 1999-2001

Subseries 3.4: The Matthew Shepard Story, 1999-2004, undated

Biographical / Historical:

The life and death of Matthew Shepard have been documented in numerous biographies, motion pictures, and newsprint.

Matthew Wayne Shepard was born on December 1, 1976 in Casper, Wyoming to Judy Peck and Dennis Wayne Shepard. Shepard's early life was spent in Casper, where he attended elementary school, junior high, and high school till the tenth grade. While living in Casper, he participated in local productions at theater companies based in Casper. One of his school projects involved bringing awareness to recycling. He was so successful that he was appointed as the young adult representative to the governor's initiaive on state-wide recycling. In his junior year of high school, Shepard left Casper to attend The American School in Switzerland (TASIS). At that time his mother Judy and younger brother Logan joined Dennis Shepard in Saudi Arabia where Dennis was employed by SAUDI ARAMCO.

While attending TASIS on a school trip to Morocco Shepard was raped by one or more unknown assailants. Although the crime was reported, the perpetrators were never apprehended. This emotional and physical trauma stayed with Shepard the remainder of his life. After graduation from TASIS, Shepard briefly attended Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. After leaving Catawba he moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, and then returned to Casper, where he enrolled in Casper College, the local community college. He briefly moved to Denver, Colorado, before deciding to enter the Universty of Wyoming in Laramie, his parents' alma mater. He was admitted for the 1998-1999 school year to the University of Wyoming.

It was while living in Laramie on the evening of October 6, 1998 that Shepard crossed paths with Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson at the Fireside Lounge. McKinney and Henderson later drove him to a location outside Laramie, where they tied Shepard to a split-rail fence, robbed, and beat him senseless with the butt of a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver. After beating him they stole his shoes and left him in the near-freezing temperatures.

Shepard was discovered 18 hours later by Aaron Kreifels. He was first transported to Ivinson Hospital in Laramie, and upon the discovery of the severity of his injuries he was transferred to the Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. His parents immediately flew from Saudi Arabia and were with him when he died in the early morning hours of October 12, 1998.

McKinney and Henderson were arrested and charged. They maintained what is known as a "gay panic defense" claiming Shepard had made sexual overtures to one or both of them. This was ultimately not allowed. Henderson pleaded guilty to the charges of felony murder and kidnapping. McKinney went to trial also facing charges of felony murder and kidnapping. When found guilty, McKinney faced the possibility of the death penalty, but upon the Shepard family's request he received two consecutive life sentences, as had Henderson.

The death of Matthew on October 12, 1998 resulted in an unprecedented national and international outpouring of sympathy and reflection from the public at large. Cards, letters, and donations to what became the Matthew Shepard Foundation were received from not only the United States but the world. The response was overwhelming, many writing, "to express their concern and sorrow about what had happened to Matt and to us as his parents," in the words of Dennis Shepard. Shepard's Celebration of Life was held at the family's home church, St. Mark's Episcopal, in Casper, Wyoming. Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church picketed the funeral.

Over a ten-year period, Judy Shepard and the Matthew Shepard Foundation fought for national hate crime legislation. It was not until 2009 that Congress passed The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act, on October 22. President Barack Obama signed the act into law on October 28. The Foundation continues to this day bringing good from evil, empowering individuals, ". . . to embrace human dignity and diversity through outreach, advocacy and resource programs," and, ". . . to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance."

Shepard's ashes were inurned at the Washington National Cathedral in October 2018.

Source

Shepard, Judy. The Meaning of Matthew, My Son's Murder in Laramie and a World Transformed. New York, New York: Hudson Street Press, 2009.

Matthew Shepard Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church website: http://stmarks.diowy.org/ accessed August 2018.

Matthew Shepard Foundation website: https://www.matthewshepard.org/ accessed August 2018.

Separated Materials:

Objects relating to Matthew Shepard are held in the Division of Medicine and Science.

Provenance:

Collection donated by Dennis and Judy Shepard in 2018.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Hate crimes  Search this

Gay youth  Search this

Homosexuality  Search this

Lesbian and gay experience  Search this

Victims of hate crimes  Search this

Travel -- Europe  Search this

Funeral rites and ceremonies -- 1990-2000  Search this

Foundations  Search this

LGBT  Search this

Genre/Form:

Theater programs -- 1910-1990

Travel brochures

Travel journals

Correspondence -- 1970-2000

Citation:

Matthew Shepard Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1463

See more items in:

Matthew Shepard Papers

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8c35d7060-3f0d-48c8-b53f-df444c6ac364

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1463

Series Creator:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Extent:

4 Items

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1875-1880

Scope and Contents note:

apparently rubble after a fire; group portrait of the Woolsey [Fla..?] Fire Engine Company, No. 1, by John A. Walker, Pensacola, Fla.; the Conemaugh Boro Fire Engine, Johnstown, Pa.; and a horse-drawn engine racing down a street, with a nice motion effect, by unidentified maker

See also:

Disasters, Florida, Groups, Inventions, Stores

Series Restrictions:

Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalogs restricted due to fragile condition. Researchers should consult microfilm in NMAH library for 1880-1983 editions, drawer 692.

Series Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Series Citation:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

See more items in:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions / 2.2: Stereographs

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep834c02d6a-18e0-4e62-a314-e8408a375020

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s02-ref1947

Series Creator:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Extent:

1 Item

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1880s

Scope and Contents note:

a miniature steam fire engine built by Henry C. Gaunt, photograph by J. H. Lloyd.

See also:

Fires and Fire Fighting, Portraits

Series Restrictions:

Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalogs restricted due to fragile condition. Researchers should consult microfilm in NMAH library for 1880-1983 editions, drawer 692.

Series Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Series Citation:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

See more items in:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions / 2.2: Stereographs

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep856d7cbac-d592-4a69-a454-047ae75b89bc

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s02-ref1999

Collector:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Series Creator:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Extent:

2 Items

Container:

Box 2 (Stereographs)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Photographs

Place:

Florida -- Stereographs

Date:

ca. 1875-1888

Scope and Contents:

Two images of fire-related subject matter: (1) what appears to be rubble after a fire; and (2) a group portrait of the Woolsey (Florida?) Fire Engine Company No. 1, both by unidentified photographers.

Restrictions:

Unrestricted research use on site. Photographs must be handled with white cotton gloves, unless protected by plastic sleeves.

Series Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Fire fighters  Search this

Fire engines and equipment. -- Stereographs  Search this

Fire stations -- Stereographs  Search this

Fires  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1870-1900 -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Stereographs

Photographs -- 1850-1900

Series Citation:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

See more items in:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions / 2.2: Stereographs / Fires and Fire Fighting

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85f3ade3a-f2f8-42ed-81ba-b9537fdb2719

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s02-ref2783

Collector:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Inventor:

Gaunt, Henry C.  Search this

Series Creator:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Extent:

1 Item

Container:

Box 3 (Stereographs)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Stereographs

Date:

1880s

Scope and Contents:

One image of a miniature steam fire engine and a man, presumably Henry C. Gaunt, the builder of the engine.

Restrictions:

Unrestricted research use on site. Photographs must be handled with white cotton gloves, unless protected by plastic sleeves.

Series Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Inventions -- 19th century  Search this

Firefighting equipment -- Stereographs  Search this

Inventors -- 1880-1900  Search this

Genre/Form:

Stereographs -- 1880-1900

Series Citation:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

See more items in:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions / 2.2: Stereographs / Inventions

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85b059738-03eb-48a0-8f78-7c926dad2faf

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s02-ref2799

Collector:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Names:

United States Military Academy -- Stereographs -- 1900-1920  Search this

Series Creator:

Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this

Extent:

1 Item

Container:

Box 4 (Stereographs)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Photographs

Stereographs

Place:

West Point (N.Y.) -- Stereographs

Date:

ca. 1910

Scope and Contents:

One view of the West Point Cadets' Marching Band.

Restrictions:

Unrestricted research use on site by appointment. Photographs musst be handled with gloves, unless protected by plastic sleeves.

Series Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Military bands -- Stereographs  Search this

Military education -- Stereographs  Search this

Military art and science -- Stereographs  Search this

Marching bands -- Stereographs  Search this

Bands (Music) -- 1900-1920  Search this

Colleges -- Stereographs  Search this

Soldiers -- Stereographs.  Search this

Students -- Stereographs  Search this

Musicians -- Stereographs  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1910-1920

Stereographs -- 1880-1900

Series Citation:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Sponsor:

Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

See more items in:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series 2: Other Collection Divisions / 2.2: Stereographs / Military

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8b684b273-b5b6-4261-974b-4c1a7c38c758

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s02-ref2808

Names:

Smithsonian Books (Publisher)  Search this

Smithsonian Institution. Press  Search this

Extent:

1.5 cu. ft. (1 record storage box) (1 document box)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Books

Serials (publications)

Date:

1950, 1977, 1995, 2007, 2018-2021

Descriptive Entry:

This accession consists of a reference set of publications from the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press, plus older publications issued by Smithsonian Institution Press and Smithsonian Books. Materials include books and serial publications.

Topic:

Museum publications  Search this

Periodicals  Search this

Books  Search this

Genre/Form:

Books

Serials (publications)

Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-079, Smithsonian Institution. Scholarly Press, Publications

Identifier:

Accession 22-079

See more items in:

Publications

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-sia-fa22-079

Container:

Box 6 of 6

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Rights:

Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2032; Transferring office; 12/12/2013 memorandum, Wright to Pulnik; Contact reference staff for details.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-075, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Sponsored Programs and Procurement Department, Grant Award Files

See more items in:

Grant Award Files

Grant Award Files / Box 6

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-075-refidd1e788

Container:

Box 1 of 2

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-079, Smithsonian Institution. Scholarly Press, Publications

See more items in:

Publications

Publications / Box 1

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-079-refidd1e384

Container:

Box 1 of 2

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-079, Smithsonian Institution. Scholarly Press, Publications

See more items in:

Publications

Publications / Box 1

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-079-refidd1e395

Type:

Archival materials

Summary:

Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-079, Smithsonian Institution. Scholarly Press, Publications

See more items in:

Publications

Publications / Box 1

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-079-refidd1e406

Container:

Box 1 of 2

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-079, Smithsonian Institution. Scholarly Press, Publications

See more items in:

Publications

Publications / Box 1

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-079-refidd1e415

Type:

Archival materials

Summary:

Smithsonian Contributions to History and Technology

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-079, Smithsonian Institution. Scholarly Press, Publications

See more items in:

Publications

Publications / Box 1

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-079-refidd1e426

Container:

Box 1 of 2

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-079, Smithsonian Institution. Scholarly Press, Publications

See more items in:

Publications

Publications / Box 1

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-079-refidd1e434

Container:

Box 1 of 2

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-079, Smithsonian Institution. Scholarly Press, Publications

See more items in:

Publications

Publications / Box 1

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-079-refidd1e517

Container:

Box 63 of 75

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Rights:

Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2037; Transferring office; 12/12/2013 memorandum, Wright to Pulnik; Contact reference staff for details.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-061, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Sponsored Programs and Procurement Department, Grant Award Files

See more items in:

Grant Award Files

Grant Award Files / Box 63

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-061-refidd1e14883

Container:

Box 65 of 75

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Rights:

Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2037; Transferring office; 12/12/2013 memorandum, Wright to Pulnik; Contact reference staff for details.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-061, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Sponsored Programs and Procurement Department, Grant Award Files

See more items in:

Grant Award Files

Grant Award Files / Box 65

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-061-refidd1e15402

Container:

Box 66 of 75

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Rights:

Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2037; Transferring office; 12/12/2013 memorandum, Wright to Pulnik; Contact reference staff for details.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-061, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Sponsored Programs and Procurement Department, Grant Award Files

See more items in:

Grant Award Files

Grant Award Files / Box 66

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-061-refidd1e15444

Container:

Box 71 of 75

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Rights:

Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2037; Transferring office; 12/12/2013 memorandum, Wright to Pulnik; Contact reference staff for details.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-061, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Sponsored Programs and Procurement Department, Grant Award Files

See more items in:

Grant Award Files

Grant Award Files / Box 71

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-061-refidd1e16652

Container:

Box 71 of 75

Type:

Archival materials

Collection Rights:

Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2037; Transferring office; 12/12/2013 memorandum, Wright to Pulnik; Contact reference staff for details.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 22-061, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Sponsored Programs and Procurement Department, Grant Award Files

See more items in:

Grant Award Files

Grant Award Files / Box 71

Archival Repository:

Smithsonian Institution Archives

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-sia-fa22-061-refidd1e16797