Baltimore Book Festival Boots Rachel Dolezal After Backlash

BALTIMORE (AP) — Organizers of the Baltimore Book Festival say they have decided to disinvite Rachel Dolezal, the white woman who led others to believe she was black.

The decision by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts came days after defending its choice to have her there. The office said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that after hearing opinions from its constituents, it had to consider how Dolezal's appearance would affect the audience and the other authors.

The festival is scheduled for September. It has been held for 21 years.

Dolezal is the former head of the Spokane, Washington, chapter of the NAACP. Dolezal could not be immediately reached for comment.