Eulundia Kay Shepard Collection

Beulah Ann Shepard was a community activist. Born in Plain Dealing, Louisiana on June 14, 1921 to Emmitt and Queen Raleigh, she was the fourth of seven children. Reared in a rural community, in 1948, Shepard left Louisiana for Houston, Texas to assist her sister Oma Lee with her newborn son, Guy Johnson. Shepard remained in Houston and took her place in the Acres Homes community where she attended Galilee Missionary Baptist Church. Shepard walked with a message, crossing many political barriers expressing her beliefs for change in her community. She bought a poll tax costing a dollar and fifty cents in 1948 and never missed voting in an election. Mrs. Shepard cast her last vote during the 2008 Presidential Election. On the forefront of tackling social issues in her community, politics was Shepard's passion. She worked in many Democratic Party campaigns that include John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Jimmy Carter, Barbara Jordan, Mark White, Lloyd Bentson, John Whitmire, Mickey Leland, Anthony Hall, Shelia Jackson Lee, and Sylvester Turner. She was also a member of several organizations including the Congressional Black Caucus and the Harris Council of Organizations. Known in her community as "a woman with guts," Beulah Shepard was known as the "Mayor of Acres Homes." She was very instrumental in securing the Acres Homes Swimming Pool and the Acres Homes Community Library (which was posthumously named in her honor). In 1974, Shepard began working for E.A. "Squatty" Lyons as a community aide. In 1978, she petitioned Mayor Jim McConn and the city council to change the name of Sherman Street to D.S. Bailey Lane. Shepard also petitioned Mayor Kathy Whitmire to pass an ordinance to change the name of Holly Street to Burleson Street. Shepard was also instrumental in promoting Roy Malonson with creating the Acres Homes Chamber of Commerce. As an expression of gratitude, the Acres Homes Chamber of Commerce building was named in her honor. Beulah Ann Shepard passed away on September 11, 2010.