DURANGO, Colo. — Julia Miller, a fifth grade student who was assigned a student project to collect data about a social issue, ended up having her work published in the Durango Herald, and is shedding light on racism.
The sign Julia focused her laser-like attention on is a two-story, stereotypical caricature of an American Indian man with exaggerated white teeth and a black cowboy vest. The structure, known as "The Chief," is owned by the Toh-Atin Gallery located in downtown Durango, and has been the subject of enormous local controversy.
The gallery maintained that the sign is a Durango historical piece and underscored its commitment to helping Native American artists. But the sign continues to be an ongoing controversial issue for Native Americans living in the community because of its outdated misrepresentation of Native American identity.