The Courage to Hope How I Stood Up to the Politics of Fear

In this "inspiring memoir about the real power of courage and hope" ( Kirkus Reviews), lifelong activist Shirley Sherrod explains why she was fired from the USDA under false charges and how she stood up against the politics of fear. On July 19, 2010, Shirley Sherrod was forced to resign from her position as Georgia State Director for Rural Development at the USDA, in response to allegations made by a right-wing blogger that she was racist. Ask Willie Nelson: "Sherrod has always stood for equality." Neither the White House nor the NAACP made any investigation into the matter before they decided to let Sherrod go. When the full story of Sherrod's exemplary record came to light, the Obama administration tried to clean the matter up by offering her another job. In The Courage to Hope, Sherrod reveals what went on behind the media firestorm and shares compelling, instructive stories about the ways this country has worked against the efforts of poor people, white and black, and farmers across the country. "Shirley Sherrod is a survivor," says The Washington Post. Her moving memoir will inspire all who read it and "make ou want to yell, cry, and stand up and cheer" (Terri Schlichenmeyer, WashingtonInformer.com).

Shirley Sherrod lectures nationally on issues of importance to middle class families, the poor, and small communities. She promotes empowerment strategies for economically and socially disadvantaged people and runs educational projects for struggling farmers. She lives in Georgia with her husband.

Catherine Whitney has coauthored more than fifty books on legal, political, and social issues, including Where Have All the Leaders Gone? and The Weekend That Changed Wall Street. She lives in New York.