USDA official Shirley Sherrod in spotlight

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USDA official Shirley Sherrod in spotlight

Photos: Shirley Sherrod in spotlight after being fired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Kenyatta Sherrod, left, and Russia Sherrod, the children of Shirley Sherrod, speak to a reporter after a rally in support of their mother, Shirley Sherrod Wednesday, July 21, 2010 in Albany. Shirley Sherrod has been at the center of controversy after she was fired, then offered her job back, by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture over a video clip purporting to show she was racist.

Mikhiela Sherrod, daugher-in-law of Shirley Sherrod, speaks during a rally in Albany, Ga., Wednesday, July 21, 2010.

Shirley Sherrod (shown in this undated photo) was ousted Tuesday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack after a heavily edited video clip portrayed her as discriminating against a white farmer. The clip of a speech she gave 24 years ago was distributed by conservative blogger, Andrew Breitbart.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tells reporters that he acted in haste in firing Shirley Sherrod, a black U.S. Agriculture Department official, after it appeared she had made racist remarks in an unfair and heavily edited video posted on a political Web site.

Andrew Breitbart initially released the highly deceptive video at BigGovernment.com.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs apologized publicly to Sherrod for her improper firing, calling it a "disservice" and an "injustice."

Eloise Spooner, 82, and her husband, George, 88, say they became lifelong friends with Mrs. Sherrod and they credit her with helping save their farm.

This image shows farmer Roger Spooner of Iron City, Ga., on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. Andrew Breitbart's video clip had implied Spooner was discriminated against by Shirley Sherrod.

An image from the video of Shirley Sherrod speaking to the NAACP.

Fatahma Odebe (left) and Danielle Green join a rally outside the Department of Agriculture building in Washington in support of Shirley Sherrod and demanding that she be re-instated.

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Kenyatta Sherrod, left, and Russia Sherrod, the children of Shirley Sherrod, speak to a reporter after a rally in support of their mother, Shirley Sherrod Wednesday, July 21, 2010 in Albany. Shirley Sherrod has been at the center of controversy after she was fired, then offered her job back, by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture over a video clip purporting to show she was racist.

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