Background
Harold Sheppard was born on April 1, 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, into the family of Joseph and Anna Leslie (Levy) Sheppard.
Harold Sheppard was born on April 1, 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, into the family of Joseph and Anna Leslie (Levy) Sheppard.
Harold received a master's degree in sociology from the University of Chicago in 1945 and a doctorate in sociology and anthropology from the University of Wisconsin in 1949.
Sheppard devoted much of his career to the issue of aging in the United States. In conjunction with his studies, he served on various governmental committees, wrote books on the subject, and worked as a consultant.
In his early career, Sheppard was an instructor at Wayne State University from 1947 to 1953, then he became an associate professor of sociology from 1953 to 1959. A post as research director with the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging followed; he later served as the Committee’s staff director. He then joined the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Area Redevelopment Administration.
From 1963 to 1975 Harold was staff social scientist for the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. He then became senior research fellow at the American Institute for Research in Washington, a post which ended in 1980 when he became counselor on aging to the Carter Administration. In 1981 Sheppard began work as associate director of the National Council of Aging, before joining the faculty of the University of South Florida in 1983 as director of its International Exchange Center. He also was a professor in the gerontology department at the University.
Sheppard’s other career posts included chairing the task force on poverty and the older American for the Office of Economic Opportunity, serving on the President’s task force on economic security and welfare for the White House Conference on Civil Rights, chairing the advisory council of the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging, and working as consultant to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Manpower, Employment, and Poverty. Moreover, he wrote, edited, and translated various books.
Harold had a companion Lisl Schick, and also two children: Mark and Jenny-Ann Graf Sheppard.