By Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer

NAACP President Norma Holt Davis took over the city's pre-eminent civil rights organization in January 2001. Barely three months into her presidency, riots tore apart the city and race relations quickly spiraled downward.

She used her influence to bring NAACP national President Kweisi Mfume to Cincinnati to cast a national spotlight on the city's troubles. Mrs. Davis , an attorney, used her legal knowledge and negotiation skills to give the NAACP a voice on Cincinnati Community Action Now's police and justice team. In an interview, Mrs. Davis addressed a variety of topics as she prepares to step down on Dec. 31:

Norma Holt Davis (Joseph Fuqua II photo)

QUESTION: Why are you stepping down after one two-year term? Will you still be involved with the organization?

ANSWER: I decided not to seek a second term as president because I need to focus more attention on my (law) practice. I also need to focus my attention on family matters and on things that are what I'm all about... I've not spent a lot of time on issues related to my church and other kinds of organizationsMy expectation would be that I still have some level of involvement.

Q: What were some of your biggest challenges in leading the organization?

A: The external challenge certainly has been that Cincinnati's been more volatile recently than it has been in yearsThere have just been so many things happening in Cincinnati and our goal has been to be involved, to provide leadership within the mission of the NAACP. As president I have spent an inordinate amount of time within the community trying to help craft solutions, so that has been a real challenge. The other challenge has been to try and develop internally the kind of leadership that's necessary for some type of succession for the organization.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing during your term?

A: Making sure that the NAACP was a credible player at the table as we try to come up with solutions for the myriad of problems we have here in the city.

Q Do you think being a woman made a difference in how you were received as a leader?

A: It's definitely been an issue. The NAACP, I believe, still has to do some work as it relates to being very inclusive of females in leadership. I think that's true both at a local level and at a national level.

Q: Were there any times that you felt frustrated by having to get approval from the national organization before you could take action on issues locally as a branch?

A: Certainly if this organization is going to hold itself out under the NAACP banner, there is a benefit and a burden to that and I don't have problems with it. The NAACP has structure. I knew what that structure was when I accepted the (presidency). Perhaps it's my legal training, but nobody internally or externally is going to force me to try to pit myself against the national organization, or to tell me what the NAACP ought to do.

Q: Do you think the NAACP is a different organization today than it was during the 1960s?

A: It's not my grandfather's NAACP and people who want it to be exactly the same have problems...The NAACP has a clearly defined mission and goals. There may be image problems or whatever, but tell me an organization that is doing a better job for African-Americans.

E-mail kaldridge@enquirer.com