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.

You can select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Click here to find out more about our partners. - Information about your device and Internet connection, including your IP address

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.

Nearly 50 years ago, Marlon Brando sent Sacheen Littlefeather to reject his Academy Award for Best Actor. Now. Now the Academy has apologised for her ...

However, the Academy has now apologised for the way Littlefeather was treated. Littlefeather graciously received the apology and said in a statement, “we Indians are very patient people – it’s only been 50 years! As such, Brando sent Littlefeather in his place – herself a Native American activist.

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.

In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather was booed off stage when she gave a speech at the Academy Awards about the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood films ...

Rubin said: “For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. Nearly 50 years after Littlefeather stood up at the Academy Awards and was booed by some audience members for her speech on Native American depiction in films, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has apologised to her for what she experienced. Sacheen Littlefeather, wearing moccasins and a buckskin dress, took to the stage of the Academy Awards in 1973, becoming the first Native American woman to do so. However, she is perhaps best known for representing Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973 where she spoke out against the stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans in the film industry. Almost 50 years after Littlefeather’s speech on behalf of Marlon Brando about Native American depiction in the film industry, the Academy has apologised for the ‘unwarranted’ abuse she experienced. In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather was booed off stage when she gave a speech at the Academy Awards about the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood films while also refusing the best actor award given to Marlon Brando. Here’s what happened.

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.

The actress, who is also a Native American civil rights activist, was speaking on behalf of Marlon Brando about the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood ...

“For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. So, just what happened during the 1973 Oscars ceremony, what did the Academy say to Littlefeather and how did she respond? The 1973 Oscars were held during the American Indian Movement’s two-month occupation of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, and the speech was intended to highlight these events. The actress, who is also a Native American civil rights activist, was speaking on behalf of Marlon Brando about the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood films at the awards in 1973 when the incident happened. Almost 50 years after actress Sacheen Littlefeather received abuse for speaking on stage at the Academy Awards stage the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences apologised to her. Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather spoke in the wake of events at Wounded Knee in 1973 and was followed off stage by Roger Moore

"I never thought I'd live to see the day," the Native American actor and activist said of the apology.

“The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” then-Academy president David Rubin said in part in the June 18 letter. “The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. Nearly 50 years later, the Academy is trying to make things right.

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

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

You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites. This information is shared with social media, sponsorship, analytics, and other vendors or service providers.