Decades-old racial harassment came boiling to the surface with two recent incidents in Farmington, New Mexico.

The first was the beating of a Navajo man by three white males. The second was the shooting of a Navajo man by a Farmington police officer.

The beating brought swift arrests and police say the shooting was justified. But Navajo leaders and tribal members worry that racist incidents of the past -- when Navajo men were targeted for beatings -- haven't really gone away.

The Navajo Nation Council has authorized a study of racism in border towns like Farmington. And some Navajos are considering economic boycotts and other protests.

Race relations have improved since the 1970s, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission said in a report. But the commission said discrimination and disparity continue in certain aspects.

Get the Story:
Attacks recall racist history of N.M. town (The Denver Post 7/13)

Civil Rights Commission Report:
The Farmington Report: Civil Rights for Native Americans 30 Years Later (November 2005)

Relevant Links:
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org

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