Established in 1985 by the Salt Lake NAACP, the award recognizes Utah citizens for contributions to the advancement of civil rights in the state, with several past recipients attending the event including Boyer Jarvis, Palmer DePaulis, branch president Jeanetta Williams, Allen Holmes, Darius Gray, and judges Andrew Valdez and Raymond Uno.
The Rosa Parks Award went to E. Jean Tracy, convention sales director for Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau. Established in 1992, the award is given annually to a woman whose life in Utah has helped to "Keep the Dream Alive."
Martin Luther King Jr. was 39 years old when he was killed in April 1968. In the 39 years since, his life and his words have served as inspiration for the civil rights movement and raised hope to end discrimination of any kind. Guest speaker John Jackson, NAACP chief policy officer, reminded supporters that there is more work to be done.
"It is time to wake up and live the dream," he said, urging individuals to "be present," and meet challenges.
The event also honored the late Coretta Scott King for her continued dedication to the civil rights movement after her husband was killed in 1968. She died in January 2006.
Close to 450 guests applauded essay contest winners in grades 1 to 12. Westminster College student Aton Sykes received a $1,000 Utah Jazz Scholarship presented by Linda Luchetti, vice president of Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment, and the NAACP presented $1,000 scholarships to five college students: Shandice Beal, Westminster College; Kimberly Fountain, University of Utah School of Medicine; Richard Green and Aaron Tarin, , U. of U., S.J. Quinney College of Law; and Erumis Urena, U. of U. Guests were treated to a performance by the "Uplifted Soles Dance Ministry," of New Pilgrim Baptist Church. There was applause for Gov. Jon Huntsman's description of Florez' modus operandi as an advocate - "He knocks on the door holding a plateful of enchiladas and says, 'Can we talk?' "
Jean Tracy drew some chuckles when she said her mother remains upset that she sluffed school to go to a civil rights rally. "When I told her I was getting the Rosa Parks Award, I said, 'See? My sluffing paid off,' " Tracy said, adding her mother approved her attending the rally, but not the sluffing.
