By Kevin Aldridge
The Cincinnati Enquirer

A nationally known civil rights law group will convene a public hearing in Cincinnati Saturday to examine the issues of economic justice, policing in African-American neighborhoods and voting rights.

The Center for Constitutional Rights, a nonprofit legal and educational organization based in New York, will conduct the hearing from noon to 6:30 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati African-American Cultural Research Center.

A panel of black civil rights leaders will preside.

Representatives from Cincinnati City Council, the Cincinnati Police Department, Cincinnati Human Relations Commission and the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce have been asked to testify, in addition to leaders of the Cincinnati Boycott Council and other community activists.

Center officials will release today a list of witnesses.

Ron Daniels, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, said the forum is designed to hear recommendations and strategies for resolving the city's conflicts. One of the goals, he said, is to assess the progress being made toward ending the 22-month-old boycott

"This boycott has emerged as one of the most widely watched struggles for racial and social justice in this country," Daniels said. "The Center for Constitutional Rights is eager to investigate the root causes that led to the rebellion and subsequent boycott, as well as explore equitable ways and means for achieving justice and reconciliation."

Daniels, who will moderate the hearing, said the center would report its findings 60 days after the hearing.

The center says its mission is to advance and protect the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The hearing could be a forum for city leaders to trumpet the racial progress they contend has been ignored by boycotters and much of the nation. Mayor Charlie Luken and other members of City Council have long complained that the only message going out to the nation is the negative one portrayed by boycotters and the news media.

An aide to Luken said Thursday that the mayor was only made aware of the hearing on Wednesday and would not attend because of a scheduling conflict. However, the mayor is expected to submit a written testimony on behalf of the city.

Lt. Kurt Byrd, a spokesman for the Cincinnati Police Department, said Thursday that Police Chief Tom Streicher would be out of town and most likely would not attend. Byrd, who was unaware of the hearing, did not say whether another police representative would be there to provide testimony.

It was unclear Thursday whether any representatives from the city's business sector would attend the forum.

Cecil Thomas, executive director of the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission, said he plans to testify on the progress the city has made in the areas of policing in the black community and social and economic justice. Thomas said city leaders should not downplay the significance of the hearing.

"Hopefully, these (national leaders) will recognize that Cincinnati is not just sitting back waiting for things to happen, but that we are also making some positive things happen."

Representatives from each of the three civil rights groups that make up the Cincinnati Boycott Council are expected to testify on Saturday.

Others expected to give testimony include Sentinel Police Association President Scotty Johnson, Cincinnati attorney Al Gerhardstein and a representative from the Children's Defense Fund.

Email: kaldridge@enquirer.com