Ellen DeGeneres says she's not racist after receiving backlash on social media for posting an edited photo of herself riding on the back of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.

The talk show host said Tuesday on Twitter that she's "highly aware of the racism that exists in our country" but that's "the furthest thing from who I am."

DeGeneres posted the photo Monday with the caption: "This is how I'm running errands from now on."

This is how I’m running errands from now on. #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/gYPtG9T1ao — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 15, 2016

The image was criticized by many users on social media.

The Ellen picture is culturally insensitive & could be offensive. I find it offensive. — Triggering. (@seabethree) August 16, 2016 Racist or not Ellen's joke was in poor taste . I don't look at it as cute or funny .. Too much in our history to think this is cute / funny. — Jeannie (JEH-nee)❣ (@JenLaPrincesse) August 16, 2016

However others defended the daytime TV host.

One Twitter user wrote, Ellen Degeneres did not make a racist joke with that picture. Y'all are so annoying turning EVERYTHING into a racial issue. Black people we've been through too much to be so sensitive... Every joke made about blacks doesn't stem from a racist core. Some stuff is just funny, geez!"

Another added, "Ellen DeGeneres has never came accross to me as racist, was the pic in poor taste?? Yeah, s--t is too tense right now, but she's not racist."

Bolt retweeted DeGeneres' original post.

The original photo of Bolt smiling while running went viral following his gold medal win in the 100-meter dash.

The comedian frequently posts photos of herself edited into topical moments and scenes from popular films and TV shows.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.