The Sheppard Bone-Dry Act was also called the DC Prohibition Act. Officially, it was this. “An Act to prevent the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors in the District of Columbia and for other purposes.” The “for other purposes” refers to exceptions, penalties, and other matters.

It was sponsored by Sen. Morris Sheppard in early 1916. It became effective in March of of the next year.
Morris Sheppard was long a supporter of temperance and prohibition. For example, in 1913 and 1914 he sponsored Prohibition bills. And in 1917 he introduced the 18th Amendment. Later, it created National Prohibition.
Sheppard Bone-Dry Act Details
- Introduced by Morris Sheppard Feb. 11, 1916.
- Passed Senate Jan, 9, 1917 by 59-34 vote.
- Passed House Feb. 28, 1917 by 276-143 vote.
- Signed by Woodrow Wilson on March 3, 1917.
- Became effective on March 3, 1917.
You can read the entire Act here.
Sheppard Bone-Dry Act
Web Pages
General
Temperance Groups
Temperance Leaders




- Daisy Douglas Barr
- Ella Boole
- Evangeline Booth
- Marie C. Brehm
- Smith Wildman Brookhart
- Bishop James Cannon, Jr.
- Ernest Cherrington
- D. Leigh Colvin
- Mamie Colvin
- Edith Smith Davis
- Hiram Wesley Evans
- Rolland Fisher.
- Richmond Pearson Hobson.
- William E. (Pussyfoot) Johnson
- Howard Hyde Russell
- Mark Shaw.
- Billy Sunday
- William D. Upshaw
- Wayne Wheeler
- Clarence True Wilson
Popular Readings
- Asbury, H. An Informal History of Prohibition. NY: Greenwood Press.
- Behr, E. Prohibition: Thirteen Years that Changed America. NY: Arcade.
- Clark, N. An Interpretation of American Prohibition. NY: Norton.
- Kobler, J. The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. NY: Putnam’s Sons.
- Sinclair, A. Prohibition: The Era of Excess. Boston: Little, Brown.
- Steuart, J. Wayne Wheeler, Dry Boss. NY: Revell.
- Willebrandt, M. The Inside of Prohibition. Bobbs-Merrill.