Matthew Shepard Anniversary: A Look Back At The 1998 Laramie Case And Its Legacy (PHOTOS)

In what has been described as a galvanizing moment for America's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, 21-year-old college student Matthew Shepard died 13 years ago today -- five days after being brutally attacked, robbed and beaten into a coma by two men who are believed to have targeted him for his sexual orientation.

Years before The Trevor Project and many other LGBT-focused organizations became prominent, Shepard's 1998 death thrust hate crimes, particularly those involving youth, into the national spotlight with a fervor that had never been seen previously. "It is a murder that seems to have aroused the deepest decent sympathies of the nation, a case in which law, religion, love, dignity and politics all seem on the side of a dead young gay man," one columnist wrote in The New York Times at the time of Shepard's funeral. "It is a rare moment, and politicians and preachers had better take a lesson."

Now, more than a decade later, Shepard's legacy lives on both in the LGBT community and beyond. In 2000, the case served as the basis for the play and subsequent film "The Laramie Project," followed by a 2009 companion piece, "The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later," both of which continue to generate controversy when performed. On Oct. 22, 2009, Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded the 1969 United States federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, after numerous setbacks. "After more than a decade of opposition and delay, we've passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray, or who they are," President Obama said at the time. "I promised Judy Shepard [Matthew's mother], when she saw me in the Oval Office, that this day would come, and I'm glad that she and her husband Dennis could join us for this event."

View a timeline of Shepard's case below and read Judy Shepard's reflection on the death of her son here:

Check out HuffPost Gay Voices on Facebook here.

Comments

[jgmambo]

06:36 PM on 10/17/2011

Very sad indeed.

[Leonor Arango]

04:45 PM on 10/17/2011

Mathew I am sorry, that we seem to regress instead of progress spiritually like our higher power. this wrong this Matthew Shepard he was hung on fence like a scare crow and beaten till till dead because he was GAY, everyone is allowed to feel and disagree, but no one deserves what happened to Mathew for any reason.

We a hate crime and a Civil Right issue here. I Just cant hate anyone and especially because they are different, I will advise that many young teens commit suicide due to this.. love everyone, like God you dont have to like what they do...Love light

[LeeCalif]

11:45 PM on 10/16/2011

What a cute picture of Matthew !

Thank you, Matthew and Thank you, Judy.

[Tonya Cox Willis]

08:32 PM on 10/15/2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX0axQTs8A0

"I can forgive, but I will not forget."

[Neenerpuss]

02:30 AM on 10/14/2011

A hate crime is meant to send a message. I vividly remember the announcement of his beating and even more emotionally his death. It scared me....it could happen to me. I spent time looking over my shoulder. I avoided lots of situations that might allow for harm to myself and friends.

Today is a different story. I have learned that the only thing I have to fear is fear itself. I have learned how to protect myself and know how to stand up for myself too...and no one is going to take that away from me and my family or my community.

That is why a hate crime is different than a ordinary crime. There are more victims than those directly involved.

[John Hazelton Smith]

12:41 AM on 10/14/2011

The problem with this world is that some people think it is okay to kill someone that they consider different. I think the different communities--gay, lesbian, black, disabled, etc. focus too much on acceptance within their particular groups instead of focusing on the fact that we are all human and whether or not you agree or accept my lifestyle, race or disability, etc. I am entitled to the same HUMAN right to live in this country.

[JTyroler]

11:55 PM on 10/13/2011

It is a sad commentary on our nation that advances in civil rights often only happens after the murder of someone, whether it's Matthew Shepard or Emmett Till. For a nation created on the premise that all men are created equal, we've spent 230-some years struggling to make this idea realized.

[Ioan Lightoller]

03:01 AM on 10/13/2011

FLAGGED. And your point is?

[AuntInAZ]

03:17 AM on 10/13/2011

What's your point? There are guilty people from all walks of life; gay, straight, black, white, male, female, all religions, all ages... No one is perfect. We all know that. The murder of Matthew Shepard stands out for reasons that should be obvious to anyone. Just because every case doesn't get the same amount of publicity doesn't mean it was forgotten about. Trust me I know! My brother was murdered.

[TheEmptyMonty]

10:42 PM on 10/12/2011

"leaves are coming into their own
darkness will fade, leaving them alone
impressions they will make
into the nervous fate for which they wait
the wind rushed through the stable
and they talked, and they talked
the sunshine broke through morning clouds
far away, far away, far away
every year that fades, memories go away
the innocence lost and found
somewhere they will run
to wherever they may hide
we'll always have that moment
when time just stopped, oh it stopped
sometimes voices leave their spells
on the heart, and they don't come off
i do believe there is no hell
you'll hear angels as they sing their song
come sing along, come sing along."

-Sleep Station

[Ross Lee Timbrook]

10:27 PM on 10/12/2011

His mother has been amazing. You know, for a long time I held some very harsh beliefs toward homosexuals. I realized after a long time that these feelings were due to me not having any interaction with them. My views were shaped by so many of the people that I hung out with, who were very homophobic. When I graduated HS I left the town I grew up in to move somewhere to expand my horizons. When I started to interact with and meet people who were gay, I started to realize my beliefs were wrong. I am so glad I had my eyes opened. Today I have numerous gay friends who I am so proud to know and I would like to think that all of them think of me as a very tolerant person.

RIP Matthew.

[amaranthian]

02:14 AM on 10/13/2011

stories like yours make it so hard for me to maintain my cynicism. i'm not sure whether to be upset or to thank you. =P

[Ross Lee Timbrook]

11:44 AM on 10/13/2011

I hope you would thank me ;)

[Ioan Lightoller]

03:03 AM on 10/13/2011

Fanned and faved. You are living proof that views can cnange and often when people get to KNOW GLBT people, their prejudices wither and die.

[Ross Lee Timbrook]

11:43 AM on 10/13/2011

Thanks. I just don't see the reason to hate people or discriminate against someone because of their sexual orientation. To me, it is such a small part of them. There are a lot of parts that make up a whole person.

Case in point, a good buddy and I used to hang out all the time. We would go to bars, sporting events, the gym, hang out together at our places and a ton of other stuff. I have a bit of a rubberneck when it comes to looking at women, I love looking. I never got why he was not looking with me and he never talked about his relationships. So finally after like four months of hanging out he told me he was gay. He said he expected me to cut off the friendship. I was hurt that he would think that, I had made up my mind that he was a cool guy to hang out with before I knew he was gay. What kind of person would I be to drop him as a friend after he told me he was gay?

[cshedenberg]

09:11 PM on 10/12/2011

One of this country's most embarrasing and polarizing events - ever. Forgive us, punish them, and free Matt's soul.

[bootxpp]

09:04 PM on 10/12/2011

I've posted twice tonight and neither was printed. What happened to freedom of Speech Huffington Post. If you left winger's are in the right why can't you face any kind of honest scrutiny about your believes??? I will no longer be posting on Huffington Post. You are purposely driving away people who don't agree with you. Aol yes was left wing, but at least you had freedom of speech but now you can write something that totally follows you code of conduct and yet it still isn't printed???

[rockysparks]

11:23 PM on 10/12/2011

Um ... maybe it wasn't what you said, but the way you said it. In any case, you finally got a comment printed, so now you can go back under your reck and go back to sleep ...

[AuntInAZ]

03:20 AM on 10/13/2011

So, what are you saying? Only 'left wingers' have an issue with Matthew's murder? What exactly? I don't know how often you come around here, but there are numerous posts that are a long way from being 'left wing'.

[karen lyons kalmenson]

08:30 PM on 10/12/2011

for matthew shepard
we remember today
we remember tomorrow
he only has yesterday ♥

[dirtydog1776]

08:13 PM on 10/12/2011

Nothing against gays or other people of "alternative life styles," they deserve protection. But laws like these are examples how progressive liberals are fragmenting our society. These laws are based on the premise that crimes against certain segments of society are worse then when the same crimes are committed against other people in society. In order words, violence against a gay person needs additional punishment then if a criminal should rape and murder me, a straight person. This destroys the concept of equality before the law. Government should protect all its citizens equally, something that is definitely not happening today. Especially if you are an "average" citizen living in one of the cities turned into a cesspool of crimes by liberal economic and political policies.

[cshedenberg]

09:13 PM on 10/12/2011

It's amazing how you could turn Matt's murder into something about yourself, person who's not murdered.

Fascinating how you could turn party politics, when that has so little to do with it - oh except that part about how conservatives attack and control.

[terrapins100]

09:23 PM on 10/12/2011

You lost me at "alternative life styles." At this point it was clear you have no idea what you are talking about.

[dennisdelia]

10:52 PM on 10/12/2011

Exactly!...Living in a condo in Boca Raton is a lifestyle......riding a motorcycle with leather chaps is a lifestyle....being LGBT is a life! I was born this way!

that way of thinking demeans and dehumanizes in a way that society develops the monsters who could commit the evil against Matthew Shepard.

[gcozette]

08:04 PM on 10/12/2011

Special tribute goes to Judy & Dennis Shepard. So many gay Americans wishes they had a mom and dad like Judy & Dennis. Some do. Most do not. Judy & Dennis have been tenacious advocates not only seeking justice in the case of their brutally murdered gay son Matthew, but they have spoken out relentlessly nationwide on behalf of all gay and lesbian Americans. Judy & Dennis have worked tirelessly to make America a safer place for all LGBTQ people. Judy & Dennis, a huge THANK YOU! Countless thousands of us who so deeply appreciate your speaking out year after year for an equal place for LGBTQ Americans in society. Matthew your son would be so proud of you. gary in chicago