Shirley Sherrod, former USDA director of rural development in Georgia, said that she might not return to her job at the USDA even if asked. Sherrod was ousted by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack after a segment of her March speech to an NAACP audience was posted. The segment appeared to be racist, but upon further review, was about learning from experience. As the full clip emerged, Vlisack said he would reconsider her employment.
“I’m not a racist,” said Sherrod, “Anyone who knows me knows I’m for fairness”
By Philip Bunnell