Last week, we reported that Dave McCall is the first black ever elected to the Tooele City Council. In truth, McCall's election was far more groundbreaking. By our collective memory, he is the first black to be elected to any office within Tooele County.

Demographics, more than discrimination, is the reason it took Tooeleans until the 21st century to elect a black leader. In a city where blacks -- as of 2005 census data -- comprised only 1.6 percent of the population, compared to 12.8 percent nationwide, the odds of finding qualified black candidates aren't good. McCall was a solid candidate who had paid his dues -- he was defeated in a previous 2005 bid for the City Council -- and it makes us proud to see that when such a candidate comes along, voters will put him, or her, into office. This bodes well for the future of a rapidly growing city where newcomers of many backgrounds are arriving every day.

McCall, a modest man, would probably not make much of the barrier he has broken. When asked about his election last week, he downplayed his accomplishment, saying, "I'm here for the people, not for anything else." But although he may be a reluctant pioneer, McCall is a pioneer nonetheless. He has proved a minority candidate can win an election in Tooele, and his victory will inspire the next generation of the city's residents -- no matter their ethnic, religious or cultural backgrounds -- to stand for public office. This diversity of leadership, in turn, will make Tooele stronger and more vibrant.

We have no way of predicting whether McCall will excel or disappoint as a city councilman once the hard business of governance begins. And, as a newspaper, we intend to hold his feet to the fire just as we would any elected official. But before he takes office, McCall should take a moment to feel proud -- and so should the voters who elected him. He was a well-qualified candidate whose willingness to serve exposed something very wonderful about Tooele.