Shirley Sherrod facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shirley Sherrod
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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 a dedicated civil rights activist. She has spent most of her life helping farmers and people in rural areas. Shirley Sherrod is currently the Executive Director for the Southwest Georgia Project. She is also the Vice President of Development for New Communities at Cypress Pond.
Shirley Sherrod has received many honors for her work. These include an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Sojourner-Douglas College. She was also inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. In 2018, she received the James Beard Leadership Award.
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Early Life and Important Choices
Shirley Sherrod was born Shirley Miller in 1947 in Baker County, Georgia. Her parents were Grace and Hosie Miller. When she was 17, in 1965, her father was killed by a white farmer. No one was charged for his death by the all-white grand jury. This event made Shirley feel strongly that she needed to stay in the Southern United States. She wanted to help bring about change there.
Soon after her father's death, a burning cross was placed in front of 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 College and later studied sociology at Albany State University. During this time, she worked with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during 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 worked with the Department of Agriculture to help Black farmers keep their land.
Shirley Sherrod's Work History
Shirley Sherrod has held many important roles throughout her career. She has always focused on helping communities and farmers.
| Dates | Position | Organization | What she did |
|---|---|---|---|
| From 1965 | Organizer | Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee's Southwest Georgia Project | Helped organize civil rights efforts. |
| 1969–1985 | Co-founder; store manager | New Communities land trust | Helped start a collective farm. |
| Before 2009 | Georgia State Lead | Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative | Supported rural Black women. |
| 1985–2009 | Georgia office lead | Federation of Southern Cooperatives | Helped farmers keep their land. |
| 1993–1996 | Fellowship awardee | Kellogg National Fellowship program | Recognized for her leadership. |
| 1999–2000 | Executive Director | Community Alliances of Interdependent Agriculture | Led efforts for farming communities. |
| July 2009–July 2010 | Georgia State Director of Rural Development | U.S. Department of Agriculture | First Black person in this role. |
| Present | Executive Director and Co-founder | Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education | Organizes childcare and voter registration. |
| Present | Vice President | Development for New Communities | Works to preserve farm culture. |
Awards and Recognitions
Shirley Sherrod has been recognized for her courage and dedication to public service.
| Date | Accomplishment | Why it was given |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Named a Kellogg Foundation National Leadership Fellow. | Recognized for her honesty and bravery in helping others. |
| 2011 | Inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. | Honored for her work with cooperatives. |
| 2018 | Awarded the James Beard Leadership Award. | Honored for her willingness to fight for those with less power. |
New Communities Land Trust
In 1969, Shirley and her husband helped start New Communities. This was a collective farm in Southwest Georgia. It was inspired by similar communities in Israel called kibbutzim. New Communities was important because it helped create a model for Community Land Trusts across the U.S. These trusts help Black farmers own land safely and affordably.
The project was located in Lee County, Georgia, and covered about 5,700 acres. This made it one of the largest pieces of Black-owned land in the U.S. However, New Communities faced many challenges. White farmers in the area were against it. The governor at the time also stopped money from reaching the project. A drought in the 1970s and difficulty getting government loans led to the farm closing in 1985.
Lawsuit for Fairness
After Shirley and her husband lost their farm, they joined a large lawsuit. This lawsuit was against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It was called Pigford v. Glickman. The lawsuit claimed that the USDA had treated Black farmers unfairly by denying them loans.
The government agreed to a settlement. This was the largest civil rights settlement in history. Over $1 billion was paid to more than 16,000 people. In 2008, a new law was passed to help even more people qualify for compensation. This included New Communities.
In 2009, a judge ruled that the USDA had discriminated against New Communities. The USDA had denied them a loan and given better terms to white farmers. New Communities received a $12.8 million settlement. This included money for lost land and income. Shirley and her husband also received money for their emotional distress.
After this, Shirley Sherrod was hired by the USDA in August 2009. She became the Georgia director of rural development. She was the first Black person to hold this position.
Leaving the Department of Agriculture
On July 19, 2010, Shirley Sherrod was asked to resign from her USDA job. This happened after a blogger posted a video of her speech. The video was edited to make it seem like she was saying something she wasn't.
At first, many people, including the NAACP and government officials, reacted negatively to the edited video. They called for her to resign. However, when the full, unedited video was reviewed, the truth came out. The NAACP, White House officials, and the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, all apologized to Shirley Sherrod. She was offered a new position with the USDA, but she chose not to take it.
Lawsuit and Settlement
In February 2011, Shirley Sherrod filed a lawsuit against the blogger who posted the edited video. She accused him of harming her reputation and causing her emotional distress. The lawsuit continued for several years.
In October 2015, Shirley Sherrod and the defendants reached an agreement. They settled the lawsuit. They released a joint statement saying they regretted the harm Shirley Sherrod had suffered. They hoped their agreement would encourage others to work towards bridging differences between people.
