A more thorough explanation:

The Hate Crimes Act of 2009, also known as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, is a law passed by the United States Congress on October 22, 2009. This law defines what a hate crime is and sets penalties for committing such crimes.

A hate crime is a criminal act that is motivated by prejudice or hatred towards a particular group of people. This can include crimes based on a person's race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. For example, if someone assaults a person because they are gay, that would be considered a hate crime.

The Hate Crimes Act was created to help protect people from being targeted and victimized because of who they are. It sends a message that hate crimes will not be tolerated and that those who commit them will be held accountable for their actions.

One example of a hate crime that the Hate Crimes Act would cover is the murder of Matthew Shepard. Shepard was a gay college student who was beaten and left to die in 1998. His death helped to bring attention to the issue of hate crimes and led to the creation of the Hate Crimes Act.

Another example of a hate crime is the murder of James Byrd, Jr. Byrd was an African American man who was dragged to death behind a truck in 1998 by three white supremacists. This horrific crime also helped to bring attention to the need for stronger hate crime laws.