Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken and Vice Mayor Alicia Reece will play host to a meeting with boycott leaders Tuesday.

        The meeting apparently reverses Mr. Luken's position that he will not negotiate with those who, in his words, promote “economic terrorism.”

        Ms. Reece said city officials will listen to concerns of civil rights leaders promoting the boycott, but will also expect them to listen to what the city has done.

        “I think, in talking with the mayor, we're willing to sit down and have discussions and dialogue,” she said. “I think it's important to emphasize that it will be a two-way dialogue on issues facing the city.”

        Ms. Reece said boycott leaders — including the Rev. Damon Lynch III of the Black United Front and the Rev. James W. Jones of the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati — are invited. Only the Rev. Mr. Jones has responded, she said.

        The 90-minute meeting will include the heads of city departments and organizations working on race relations in the city. It will not be open to the public, but may be televised by Citicable, city officials said.

        The boycott movement has snowballed in recent weeks, with the announcements that comedian Bill Cosby and singer Smokey Robinson have canceled appearances here.

        The civil rights groups are hoping to pressure the city to agree to a long lists of demands. Those demands include amnesty for people convicted in last April's riots, and more funding for certain neighborhood programs.

        Leaders of the Washington, D.C.-based Progressive National Baptist Convention will also meet Tuesday to decide whether they will continue to hold their national convention here in August.

        The group has agreed to come, but are reportedly reconsidering after Mr. Luken wrote them saying he would not agree to “unconditional negotiations” with boycott groups.

        Mr. Luken could not be reached Saturday to explain whether he has not changed his position. But Friday, he told the Enquirer that “I make a distinction between meeting with people and negotiating demands.”

        Ms. Reece said city officials haven't gotten their story out about what the city has done on race relations in the past year.

        For example, she said, the city is nearing an agreement with the U.S. Justice Department on police use-of-force policies.

        In addition, a settlement to a racial profiling lawsuit is due by April 5.

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