In his 1968 speech at the National Cathedral, Martin Luther King, Jr. proclaimed that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” While that may be true, there are peaks and valleys along that path, especially when it comes to tolerance for, and acceptance of, those who don’t fit into traditional roles and paradigms. Consequently, reminders of past injustices, and the need to keep fighting for equality and compassion, remain ever-relevant.
That’s why Investigation Discovery is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the murder of Matthew Shepard with a heartfelt documentary about his life, his slaying, and the impact it had on a movement dedicated to achieving freedom for all.
Premiering October 9, The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime is a look back at a yesterday that feels long ago and yet also not so far away. Its story is one that, in 1998, made national headlines and helped drive a campaign for hate crime legislation and, in the process, a wide range of LGBTQ+ rights. That it took a horrific homicide to spur such change continues to be a sad commentary about how civil liberties are acquired. Sadder still, though, is this documentary’s coda about the potential limits of progress, and the consequent necessity of pushing back against the omnipresent forces of malicious bigotry.