NAACP honors Ron McBride with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award


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SALT LAKE CITY — Former University of Utah and Weber State football coach Ron McBride's dedication to the student athletes who played for him and the interest he took in their diverse cultures earned him the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award from the NAACP's Salt Lake branch.

Jeanetta Williams, president of the NAACP's Salt Lake branch, presented the award to McBride on Monday during the organization's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Luncheon at the Little America Hotel. Williams also praised the longtime football coach for promoting education in underserved communities.

"This is the most prestigious award that I have ever received and the most humbling award that I have ever received," McBride said.

McBride detailed the impact that various playing and coaching opportunities have had on his perspective, including interactions with Polynesian and African-American athletes. He spoke about his efforts to be a good coach while starting at Piedmont High School in San Jose, California, and the struggle of dealing with desegregation busing.

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Judge Chad C. Schmucker, president of the National Judicial College, offered his thoughts as the keynote speaker of the event, detailing the continued struggle for civil rights through issues such as criminal justice reform. He spoke of a number of ongoing reforms, including improved training for judges, within court systems across the country.

Schmucker said that while the results of the November election may slow some changes in criminal justice, the process would not stop, and he quoted Dr. Martin Luther King in stating that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."

Barbara Toomer was also honored at the event and presented with the Rosa Parks Award for her contributions to disabled rights in Utah, including the enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act by protesting for the addition of wheelchair lifts and accommodations on Utah Transit Authority buses.

"I’ve always felt that Miss Parks and I have the same goals. She wanted to get from the back of the bus. I wanted to get on the bus," Toomer said.

She took a brief opportunity to share her experiences in improving accessibility for the disabled, and thanked the professionalism of law enforcement throughout the process.

"I trust police officers. I have never been abused by a police officer," Toomer said. "And I have been arrested several times." Email: rmorgan@deseretnews.com

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