Ex-USDA official Shirley Sherrod says she plans to meet with Ag Secretary Vilsack on Tuesday
By APSaturday, August 21, 2010
Shirley Sherrod to meet with ag secretary Tuesday
EPES, Ala. — Former USDA official Shirley Sherrod says she is meeting with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Tuesday to discuss a new job offer.
Sherrod was forced to resign last month after a conservative blogger posted excerpts from a March speech depicting her as racist. The NAACP and others, including the USDA, condemned the remarks before grasping the full context of the story, which was meant as a lesson in overcoming racism.
The White House and the NAACP have since apologized and Vilsack offered her a new position.
Sherrod spoke Saturday in Alabama at an event hosted by the Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. The nonprofit group helps family farms in the South, especially black-owned farms.
Information from: The Birmingham News, www.al.com/birminghamnews
