Newsmaker Shirley Sherrod to Address Black Journalists at Annual Convention in San Diego

SAN DIEGO, July 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Newsmaker Shirley Sherrod is set to appear before thousands of journalists on Thursday, July 29 at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Annual Convention in San Diego, Calif.

Sherrod has made headlines over the past two weeks for her forced resignation from  the U.S. Department of Agriculture after conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart posted video excerpts of Sherrod's address at a March 2010 NAACP event on his website.  The NAACP initially condemned her remarks and U.S. government officials called on her to resign. Upon review of the unedited video in context, the NAACP, White House officials, and Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, apologized soon after and Sherrod was offered a new position. Sherrod has not yet decided if she will accept the job offer.

Sherrod will have a candid conversation with a panel of journalists during a newsmaker plenary, "Context and Consequences: A Conversation with Shirley Sherrod." The discussion will focus on the reporting and coverage of this incident and the role that race still plays in a runaway media culture.

NABJ also extended Breitbart an invitation to this session. He initially accepted, but later declined.

NOTE:  *Members of the working press who wish to cover this forum will need to obtain press credentials. To obtain credentials please contact the NABJ Convention Press Office, [email protected].

SOURCE National Association of Black Journalists