Washington (PTI): U.S. President Barack Obama is set to enjoy a beer with an offended white police officer and a leading African-American scholar in the White House as he tries to douse a 'stupid' controversy which quickly spiralled into a national and racially-charged issue.

Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge, Massachusetts, Police Department will be visiting Mr. Obama at the White House at 6 pmlocal time (3.30 am IST, Friday).

The beer will be served to the three at the Picnic Table near Mr. Obama's Oval Office, local media reported.

Last week, Mr. Obama said he called Sgt. Crowley and "there was a discussion about he and I and Professor Gates having a beer here in the White House."

Mr. Obama, the first African-American U.S. President, said he hoped the recent incident in Cambridge involving Prof. Gates' arrest, which quickly spiralled into a racially-charged controversy, "ends up being what's called a teachable moment" for the country.

Mr. Obama acknowledged that he had contributed to "ratcheting it up" by declaring the Cambridge Police Department had "acted stupidly", even though he did not know all facts of the case.

Cambridge police called on Mr. Obama to apologise for the remark. Though Mr. Obama did not apologise, in the phone call with Sgt. Crowley he said his choice of words was "unfortunate."

Prof. Gates, a personal friend of Mr. Obama, was arrested on July 16 for disorderly conduct outside his home after police responded to a report of a possible burglary. The charge was later dropped.