Today we're continuing our series on Louisville's historical markers with a look at Historical Marker 2055: William H. Sheppard.

Born in Virginia in the waning months of the American Civil War, William Henry Sheppard grew up in a religious household. In his biography, "Presbyterian Pioneers in Congo," he recalls a local woman telling him "William, I pray for you, and hope some day you may go to Africa as a missionary."

Her prayers must have worked, because Sheppard entered the clergy and was eventually approved for missionary work to the Congo, despite most Black missionaries at the time not being allowed to go to Africa.

While in Africa, Sheppard helped build churches + schools for fugitives from slavery. He was an accomplished linguist fluent in several indigenous languages, and his writings would go on to be important for future ethnographers — he was even made a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society in 1893.

During his travels, Sheppard published photos and writings documenting the exploitation of the Congolese people by the Kasai Rubber Company and King Leopold II of Belgium. He and a fellow missionary were put on trial for libel, but were ultimately acquitted.

After returning to the United States, Sheppard settled in Louisville as the pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church. He was a community and faith leader in Smoketown until his death in 1927. Sheppard Park and Sheppard Square are both named in his honor.

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