The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the latest African-American group to come under fire from the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati, a grassroots organization boycotting the city's downtown.

        Coalition members said Tuesday that the NAACP, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization, threatens to "violate the boycott" by holding its 47th annual Freedom Fund Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in October. The dinner, themed "Freedom Under Fire," is the Cincinnati NAACP's major fund-raiser.

        Coalition leaders met with NAACP local chapter President Norma Holt Davis and second vice president Juanita Adams for more than an hour Monday to discuss the possibility of relocating the dinner outside of downtown.

        Mrs. Davis ultimately declined to move the event, adding the decision was not in opposition to the boycott.

        But coalition members walked away with a different interpretation.

        "It is one thing for the NAACP to remain neutral, but its another thing entirely for them to have an event which directly goes against the boycott," said Nathaniel Livingston Jr., a coalition member. "This decision just sends a bad message."

        The Cincinnati branch of the NAACP has never taken an official stance on the boycott, though it did decline an invitation to join in the movement during its early stages.

        Mrs. Davis said the NAACP considered very carefully whether to move the dinner outside of downtown. She said the NAACP appreciates a number of the economic and justice issues raised by boycotters and the civil rights group is working in its own way to address them.

        "We explored all of our options and decided to remain at the Hyatt," Mrs. Davis said. "We do not believe holding our event downtown will adversely affect the boycott."

        There were whispers in April that the NAACP might relocate the fund-raiser because of the boycott protesting Cincinnati's racial climate. Mrs. Davis declined to comment on the reports at that time.

        Mr. Livingston sent a letter to NAACP national Chairman Julian Bond and national President Kweisi Mfume on Aug. 9 asking them to intercede in the local chapter's decision.

        Mr. Livingston said the national NAACP, which recently chastised the Congressional Black Caucus for attempting to violate its boycott in South Carolina, risks appearing hypocritical if it does not speak out against the actions of the Cincinnati chapter.

        The NAACP has called for economic sanctions against South Carolina because of the government's refusal to remove the Confederate flag from the statehouse grounds.

        In recent months, the NAACP has been embroiled in a bitter dispute with members of the Congressional Black Caucus over a planned fund-raiser in South Carolina that would violate the NAACP's boycott.

        "Is it right for the NAACP to chastise groups that violate their boycott of South Carolina, while at the same time the Cincinnati chapter appears intent on violating the boycott here," Mr. Livingston said. "We do believe the NAACP should strive to maintain moral consistency."

        John White, communications director of the NAACP, did not return phone calls seeking comment Tuesday. Mrs. Davis confirmed that the letters have been received by the national leaders.

        Coalition leaders said they plan to begin demonstrations in front of the Cincinnati NAACP's Reading Road offices starting today. The coalition has also threatened similar demonstrations at NAACP offices in other cities and even at the homes and business offices of NAACP leaders.

        "We will not allow the NAACP to assist our enemies and the enemies of change without an appropriate response," Mr. Livingston said.

E-mail kaldridge@enquirer.com