Shirley Sherrod facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shirley Sherrod
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Shirley Sherrod in 2016
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Shirley Miller
November 20, 1947 |
| Education | Fort Valley State University Albany State University Antioch University (M.A.), community development, 1989 |
| Occupation | Executive Director for the Southwest Georgia Project and Vice President of Development for New Communities at Cypress Pond |
| Known for | Civil Rights Activist |
| Spouse(s) | Charles Sherrod |
| Parent(s) | Grace and Hosie Miller |
Shirley Sherrod (born November 20, 1947) is an important American civil rights activist. She has spent most of her life helping farmers and people in rural areas. Shirley Sherrod is the Executive Director of the Southwest Georgia Project. She is also the Vice President of Development for New Communities at Cypress Pond.
Shirley Sherrod has received many awards for her work. These include an honorary degree from Sojourner-Douglas College. She was also added to the Cooperative Hall of Fame. In 2018, she won the James Beard Leadership Award.
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Shirley Sherrod's Early Life
Shirley Miller was born in 1947 in Baker County, Georgia. Her parents were Grace and Hosie Miller. When Shirley was 17, in 1965, her father was sadly killed. He was a church leader who was shot by a white farmer. No one was charged for his death. This event made Shirley want to stay in the South. She wanted to work for change there.
A few months later, a burning cross was placed outside her family's home. Shirley, her mother, and her sisters were inside. That same year, Shirley was one of the first Black students to attend the previously all-white high school in Baker County. Years later, her mother, Grace Miller, became the first Black woman elected to a county office.
Shirley went to Fort Valley State University. She later studied sociology at Albany State University. During this time, she worked with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. This was a group active in the Civil Rights Movement. She met her future husband, Charles Sherrod, there. She then earned her master's degree in community development from Antioch University. After her studies, she returned to Georgia. She wanted to help Black farmers keep their land.
Helping Farmers and Communities
Shirley Sherrod has worked for many years to help people. From 1965, she was an organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. This group worked for civil rights in Southwest Georgia.
In 1969, Shirley and her husband helped start New Communities. This was a special farm where people worked together. It was one of the largest pieces of land owned by Black people in the U.S. New Communities helped show how Community Land Trusts could work. These trusts help people own land together.
New Communities faced many challenges. Some white farmers were against it. The governor at the time also stopped money from reaching the project. A long period of dry weather in the 1970s also made farming hard. Because of these problems, New Communities had to close in 1985.
Fighting for Justice
After losing their farm, Shirley and her husband joined a big lawsuit. It was called Pigford v. Glickman. This lawsuit was against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It said that the USDA had treated Black farmers unfairly. They were denied loans or given worse loan terms than white farmers.
This lawsuit became the largest civil rights settlement in history. Over $1 billion was paid to more than 16,000 farmers. In 2008, a new law helped even more farmers get compensation. This included New Communities. In 2009, a judge ruled that the USDA had discriminated against New Communities. The farm received a $12.8 million settlement. Shirley and her husband also received money for their hardship.
In 2009, Shirley Sherrod was hired by the USDA. She became the Georgia director of rural development. She was the first Black person to hold this job.
A Difficult Time at the USDA
In July 2010, Shirley Sherrod had a difficult experience. A blogger posted a short, edited video of her speaking. The video made it seem like she was saying something unfair. Because of this edited video, she was asked to resign from her USDA job.
However, when the full, unedited video was seen, the truth came out. The full video showed that her words were taken out of context. She was actually talking about overcoming prejudice. The NAACP, the White House, and the Secretary of Agriculture all apologized to her. She was then offered a new position with the USDA.
Shirley Sherrod later filed a lawsuit against the blogger who posted the edited video. In 2015, they reached an agreement. They both said they regretted the harm she suffered. They hoped their agreement would help bridge racial divides.
Images for kids
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Shirley Sherrod in 2016
