Race should not distract people from joining together to find solutions to poverty in local communities, said prominent civil rights figure Shirley Sherrod.
Sherrod spoke in the ballroom of the Hilton Eugene Hotel Friday night as part of a celebration for Black History Month.
The majority of her speech focused on the present and the progress she feels has and must continue to be made in local communities.
“We don’t need a government to tell us how to get along. We can figure that out ourselves,” Sherrod said.
“Fear is a lot of what keeps us separate. We need to learn about each other’s cultures. Young people can’t just think of themselves. They need to help and reach out to others.”
Sherrod’s visit was orchestrated by the local chapter of Blacks in Government, a nationwide organization that came to Eugene four years ago. Sherrod’s speech served as the keynote address in their first Black History Month Celebration, capping an evening that recognized both the history and the progress of the Eugene community.
“Tonight we’re here to acknowledge that Eugene has made progress,” said Linda Hamilton, a BIG official and event organizer. “There is still progress to be made, but we’re all going to make that together.”
Sherrod became the center of national media attention last summer after a series of video excerpts, posted online by conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart, portrayed her as an endorser of reverse discrimination during a convention speech.
Within hours, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People proved that the excerpts had been egregiously edited, but not before the United States Department of Agriculture forced her to resign as Director of Rural Development in Georgia.
Nevertheless, the experience, which sparked outrage across the country and elicited apologies from the USDA and media officials, received relatively little attention during Sherrod’s keynote speech on Friday. She regarded the incident as one of many challenges she has faced throughout her life.
“That moment was just a bump in the road,” Sherrod said. “I’ve had years and years of bumps in the road — some even near-death experiences — but they won’t stop me.”
Sherrod devoted a portion of her speech to describing her background. She explained how she grew up on a family farm in Baker County, Ga., and how she faced hardships from an early age. She described the oppressive police, the struggles of the civil rights movement and the indifference of the legal system after her father, a deacon, was shot to death when she was 17 years old.
The evening featured awards for a number of public and private organizations that have helped create a more diverse and socially just environment. A number of city agencies, notably the Eugene Water & Electric Board, were acknowledged during the event.
Still, the evening no doubt addressed the darker sides of the area’s history. Displays were placed outside the ballroom recounting the difficult lives of Oregon’s first black residents, as well as the past presence of the Ku Klux Klan.
Many speakers also called attention to today’s problems. They were not afraid to say that beneath the superficial veil of acceptance, racism and discrimination are still pervasive forces in modern society — even in Eugene.
These concerns notwithstanding, the evening remained one of cautious optimism. Progress was a priority for all who attended, and Sherrod’s message of community was evident by the dozens who spoke before her.
“We want the city of Eugene to be a welcoming place to live, no matter who you are,” Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy said. “We don’t celebrate all of the city’s history, but we do celebrate the history we are trying to make, and how we are all important to the value of life.”
[email protected]