Sheppard Bone-Dry Act

The Sheppard Bone-Dry Act, sponsored by Sen. Morris Sheppard of Texas, was passed by the US Congress in 1917. It imposed a ban on alcoholic beverages in the District of Columbia. The act prohibited alcohol production and sales but included exceptions for religious and medical use. It was a precursor to the 18th Amendment, which Sheppard also championed, leading to national Prohibition in 1920. The term “bone-dry” refers to its strict prohibition measures, reflecting Sheppard’s temperance advocacy. The act remained in effect until Prohibition’s repeal in 1933.