Sacheen Littlefeather

The actress and activist called out the 'treatment of American Indians by the film industry' during her short speech at the 1973 Oscars.

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Sacheen Littlefeather went onto the Academy Awards stage on behalf of Marlon Brando to speak about the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood.

Rubin called Littlefeather’s speech “a powerful statement that continues to remind us of the necessity of respect and the importance of human dignity.” For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. The 1973 Oscars were held during the American Indian Movement’s two-month occupation of Wounded Knee in South Dakota.

Almost 50 years after she was booed on the Oscars stage for declining Marlon Brando's award on his behalf, Sacheen Littlefeather has received an apology ...

"We need to keep our sense of humor about this at all times. The Academy released the letter as it announced that Littlefeather, now 75, has been invited to speak at its film museum in Los Angeles on September 17. "For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has apologized to Native American actor Sacheen Littlefeather, almost 50 years after her appearance at the ...

The first Native American Indian woman, the first woman of color to ever make a statement at the Academy Awards, telling the truth about the way that it really is. "The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified. "For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. In the documentary Sacheen: Breaking the Silence,she said she had been blacklisted by Hollywood as a result of her speech. That I had done something, that I was the first to make a statement, a political statement. She gave a passionate speech on his behalf but was met by a largely negative response from the audience.

Littlefeather claimed Wayne had to be held back by six security guards while trying to accost her on stage at the 1973 Oscars.

"The Academy essentially killed her career and was nearly assaulted by John Wayne for doing it," they wrote. Journalist and author Richard Newby was similarly scathing in his assessment of the incident, writing: "John Wayne will always be a punk and I don't think movie clips of him should be shown at the Oscars again. "Absolutely disgraceful and speaks to the arrogance of these people." Brando had hoped the protest would shine a light on the occupation of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, which had begun a month earlier. Wayne wasn't the only star to express his disdain. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration."

At the 1973 Academy Awards, Sacheen Littlefeather refuses the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando who won for his role in The Godfather. She ...

“(Brando) very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award, and the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry,” she said to a mix of boos and applause, pausing and appearing visibly upset. She dedicated much of her career post-Oscars to activism and founding performing arts organizations for Indigenous actors. Littlefeather said she promised Brando that she wouldn’t touch the Oscar statuette, she said. When Brando won best actor for his starring role in “The Godfather,” he was absent. “The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” former Academy president David Rubin wrote in a letter to Littlefeather. “The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged.

Nearly 50 years after her speech on behalf of Marlon Brando about depiction of Native Americans, academy apologises for 'unwarranted and unjustified' ...

In 2021, Littlefeather told the Guardian that she arrived at the ceremony only a few minutes before Brando’s award was announced, and had been given an eight-page speech by Brando to read if he won. I went up there with the grace and the beauty and the courage and the humility of my people. The Oscars took place in March, and the occupation ended in May after agreement with federal authorities to disarm. However, the show’s director Howard Koch told her she could only have 60 seconds and so she improvised a speech instead. “I never thought I’d live to see the day,” she added. The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable.

Sacheen Littlefeather was met with racist gestures and boos at the 1973 Oscars for rejecting Marlon Brando's Oscar on his behalf.

For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. Her visit to the museum will be her first. David Rubin, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, issued a formal apology, writing to Littlefeather, "The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified.

Littlefeather explained that Marlo Brando would not accept his Oscar due to “the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry.

It’s our method of survival.” “The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” wrote Rubin. “The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apologized to Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined an Oscar on Marlon Brando's behalf and was ostracized in ...

“I could not and was not allowed to speak for myself,” she said. In an interview on “The Dick Cavett Show” several months later, Brando said he was embarrassed by how Littlefeather was treated. She was let in, but the show’s producer said she could not read the speech. “When I was at the podium in 1973, I stood there alone.” She introduced herself and explained why she was there. She said she was there as Brando’s representative. He specifically instructed her not to touch the statuette, she recalled. “The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified. It was the first time a Native American woman had stood on the Oscars stage, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and her statement on behalf of Brando created shock waves. In 2020, it introduced diversity and inclusion standards that films must meet to qualify for a best picture nomination, following criticism that the Oscars were dominated by White actors and filmmakers. Despite the efforts, Hollywood continues to struggle with representation of women and ethnic minorities. The year was 1973.

Nearly 50 years after Sacheen Littlefeather stood on the Academy Awards stage on behalf of Marlon Brando to speak about the depiction of Indigenous people ...

For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration." "The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified," wrote Rubin. "The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. In making the announcement, the Academy Museum shared a letter sent June 18 to Littlefeather by David Rubin, then academy president, about the iconic Oscar moment.

The Apache activist and actress was booed onstage in 1973 after she refused the best actor award on Marlon Brando's behalf and criticized Hollywood for its ...

She said some audience members did the so-called “tomahawk chop” at her and that when she went to Mr. Brando’s house later, people shot at the doorway where she was standing. “When I went back to Marlon’s house, there was an incident with people shooting at me,” she said. “For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged,” Mr. Rubin wrote. Ms. Littlefeather said she had little information about how the night would work, but Mr. Brando had given her a speech to read if he won. She paused when a mix of boos and cheers erupted from the audience. As an editor at The Times, I’ve worked with many of them, and I can tell you these are thoughtful people who have dedicated themselves to one thing: helping you understand the world. The former president of the Academy, David Rubin, wrote in the apology to Ms. Littlefeather that the abuse she faced because of the speech was “unwarranted and unjustified.” When Ms. Littlefeather, then 26, spoke, some of the audience cheered her and others jeered. Our reporters produce hundreds of original articles every day, from places as far afield as Kyiv, London, Uvalde and Sacramento. These journalists travel widely to get as complete a picture as they can. “And I focused in on the mouths and the jaws that were dropping open in the audience, and there were quite a few,” she told the Academy. “But it was like looking into a sea of Clorox, you know, there were very few people of color in the audience.” They are committed to remaining curious, keeping an open mind and seeking out every voice. I’d like to encourage you to support journalism like this by becoming a subscriber.

Where is Sacheen Littlefeather today? The activist and actor has since retreated from the spotlight after revealing her health issues.

“I write to you today a letter that has been a long time coming on behalf of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with humble acknowledgment of your experience at the 45th Academy Awards,” John said in a letter — which was published online on August 15, 2022 — according to the outlet. Sacheen shared her belief that she was “blacklisted” by Hollywood after the Oscars incident. Edgar Hoover had gone around and told people in the industry not to hire me, because he would shut their talkshow or their production down. In a June 2021 interview with the outlet, Sacheen explained that she has endured a lot on the health front. “For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged,” John added. In fact, Sacheen also recalled being physically assaulted by actor John Wayne, per The Guardian. [Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando](https://www.distractify.com/p/why-did-marlon-brando-refuse-his-oscar) for his performance in The Godfather, but she declined. In a clip of Sacheen’s speech, you can hear audience members booing and cheering. As a result, my memory is not as good as it used to be.” At the time, the young actress addressed the treatment of Native Americans in the entertainment industry. Interestingly, Sacheen was supposed to accept the award for Going against the grain can be tough, but standing up for what you believe in despite backlash is an honorable trait — and activist and former actor

In 1973, Littlefeather represented Marlon Brando at the Oscars, declining his Best Actor award for "The Godfather."

"The Academy also wanted to right a wrong, and this was a wrong. And the fact that it took 50 years to figure that out, well, that's on their bad, but the fact that they are fixing it and that there is an Indigenous Alliance in the Academy is so important," said Kevin Frazier, of "Entertainment Tonight." Now, the Academy has issued an apology for the "unwarranted and unjustified" abuse she suffered that night and in the years and decades afterward.

Motion Picture Academy officials have apologized to Sacheen Littlefeather for abuse she was subjected to when she declined an Academy Award on behalf of ...

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After 50 years, the Academy has apologised to Native American actress Littlefeather after she was harrassed and abused for standing up for Native rights.

When she left the stage, Littlefeather was nearly hauled off by actor John Wayne, famous for his roles as a cowboy in the 1950s and 1960s. It was near the location of a massacre of Native Americans in 1890 in which more than 300 were murdered by the US state. During her speech, Littlefeather was harassed by the assorted members for her comments in support of Native Americans. He was not happy about the US film industry’s representation of Native Americans. Littlefeather told the crowd that “[Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. She had been at the centre of a row after refusing to receive Marlon Brando’s award, at his request.

Some members of the audience booed and mocked Littlefeather as she addressed the awards ceremony wearing traditional Apache clothing. The actor John Wayne ...

This is part of what Sacheen Littlefeather said on that night in 1973. Some members of the audience booed and mocked Littlefeather as she addressed the awards ceremony wearing traditional Apache clothing. Clint Eastwood mocked Littlefeather later in the ceremony.

Indigenous activist Sacheen Littlefeather was mistreated at the 1973 Oscars. The Academy finally apologizes nearly 50 years later.

Littlefeather concluded her speech by saying, “I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity.” Her reputation had been ruined, with people calling into question the validity of her Native American identity and using her as a gross [punchline](https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/a-recent-tv-slur-revives-debate-about-sacheen-littlefeather-and-her-role-in-marlon-brandos-oscar-refusal). The event, created to honor Littlefeather, will have performances from Indigenous singers and dancers and feature remarks from various Academy heads. Also, Littlefeather will have a conversation with Bird Runningwater, the co-chair of the Academy’s Indigenous Alliance. This standoff was happening concurrently with the highly publicized award ceremony, yet was receiving very little attention due to the media blackout that was issued by the U.S. She was also given a framed letter written by the then-president David Ruben. Brando had given her eight pages to read from, meaning she now only had a few moments to improvise a speech for the absent actor. Brando had also given Littlefeather the instruction to not touch the idolized bronze statuette. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. [reflected](https://people.com/archive/its-oscar-time-do-you-know-where-sacheen-littlefeather-is-vol-33-no-12/) on the speech, noting that it killed her career in Hollywood: “I went up there thinking I could make a difference. Littlefeather, who is Apache and Yaqui, attended the ceremony at the young age of 26. The Wounded Knee Occupation saw hundreds of Oglala Lakota people and supporters of the American Indian Movement (AIM) occupying the town to protest the tribal president’s corruption as well as the government’s failure to fulfill treaties with Native Americans.