Former USDA official Shirley Sherrod will discuss and sign copies of her new book, “The Courage to Hope,” on Sept. 5 at the Central Library of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library in Atlanta.

Sherrod is the former director of rural development in Georgia for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She was forced to resign in July 2010 over allegations of racism after an edited video posted online showed her saying that she had given minimal support to a white farmer who sought her help.

In the unedited version of the video, Sherrod was talking about how she had learned to help everyone, regardless of their race.

Her firing and her subsequent refusal to return to the USDA after formal apologies sparked much controversy.

Copies of “The Courage to Hope” will be on sale at the 6:30 p.m. program.

The Central Library of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library is at 1 Margaret Mitchell Square in Atlanta.

For more information, call 404-730-1906.