Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American activist Marlon Brando sent to the 1973 Academy Awards to decline the lead actor Oscar he won for "The Godfather," died Sunday at age 75.. Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Her death came just weeks after she accepted a formal apology in person at a tribute in Los Angeles. [54] Producer Howard W. Koch, she later said, told her "you can't read all that" in reference to the 739-word speech written by Brando,[55] so she condensed it all into 60 seconds. Littlefeather, who appeared nervous during her speech and was booed by a few attendees, received both harassment and praise after the event. [116][117] In 2009, she gave testimony in the documentary Reel Injun about Native Americans in film. And while Brando's motives weren't fully appreciated at the time, today it's clear that he was ahead of his time. As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts. When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. The Alcatraz Island occupation was two years in the past by March of 1973. Littlefeather passed away on Oct. 2 at the age of 75. Market data provided by Factset. [47] An account from the night of the Oscar ceremony describes Francis Ford Coppola observing Littlefeather on a TV monitor backstage and stating "Sacheen Littlefeather. Sacheen Littlefeather died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at her home in Marin County, Calif. She was 75. Brando was unequivocal about his view that Hollywood was doing a disservice not only to Native Americans, but all minorities, thanks to their stereotypical portrayal of different cultures. Littlefeathers sisters say those claims are false. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Marlon Brando had a long history of supporting various social movements dating back to at least 1946 when he backed the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland. [81][82], Coretta Scott King commended Brando for his non-violent stand, stating, "It is gratifying to see people in entertainment increasingly concerned about injustices in society and not just interested in making money. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BA degree in German studies and from Mills College with a MFA degree in creative writing and English. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The Native American actor and activist has died of breast cancer at age 75. No one would listen to my story or give me a chance to work.". Fox News Flash top headlines are here. [50] In 2016, the 88th ceremony of the Academy Awards drew criticism for lack of diversity in nominations; actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who boycotted the ceremony, cited Littlefeather as inspiration to do so. LaNada War Jack, one of the student organizers of the 19-month-long Native American occupation of Alcatraz that started in 1969, told this news organization: We applauded her when she spoke at the Oscars but we knew she wasnt Native.. Sacheen Littlefeather is the subject of a new documentary titled 'Sacheen: Breaking The Silence. [61] Littlefeather stated in 2022 that some people mockingly used the tomahawk chop towards her as she was led by. Rather, he sent Apache activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to reject the . ThoughtCo, Dec. 6, 2021, thoughtco.com/sacheen-littlefeather-academy-awards-2477981. [50] He called Littlefeather and asked her to appear on his behalf. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American civil rights activist best known for declining Marlon Brando's best actor Oscar for "The Godfather" in 1973, has died at the age of 75, the Academy of . She had been instructed by Brando not to touch the Oscar and, rather, read an eight-page statement. Sacheen Littlefeather on stage at AMPAS Presents An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 17, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. [73][100], A 1987 profile of Littlefeather stated that she was a recipient of the 1986 Traditional Indian Medicine Achievement Award for her participation in the Traditional Indian Medicine Program at St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson, Arizona. When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. And Brando had decided to cast the 26-year-old aspiring actress as his Oscars proxy to reject the award, denounce the negative stereotyping of American Indians in entertainment and bring attention to the Wounded Knee Occupation protest in South Dakota. Academy Apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather for 'Mistreatment' Upon Turning Down Marlon Brando's Oscar Littlefeather was asked by Best Actor winner Brando to turn down the award in 1973. [71], The audience in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion was divided between applause and jeers. Academy representatives have said the organization recognizes self-identification. But it has inserted a disclaimer at the start of a three-hour interview with Littlefeather, posted on its YouTube channel, that says oral histories should not be understood as statements of fact. In that interview, Littlefeather claims she was raised in poverty by an abusive alcoholic father and that she was abandoned by her parents who were too mentally ill to care for her. Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar for "The Godfather" on his behalf at the 1973 Academy Awards, died Sunday, the Academy of Motion Pictures said. In that account, he called the radio station where she worked months after she sent the letter. "[7], In January 1973, she appeared in "Make-up for Minority Women' and was identified as a professional model. [1] After recovering, she received a degree from Antioch University in holistic health and nutrition with an emphasis in Native American medicine, a practice she credited with her recovery. [6][5][7] Littlefeather's father was Manuel Ybarra Cruz of Oxnard, California,[8] who Littlefeather identified as having White Mountain Apache and Yaqui ancestry. [2][3] Furthermore, Cruz says Littlefeather fabricated a Native identity because she thought it was more "prestigious" to be Native American than to be Hispanic. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the news on its social media accounts. Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. He instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Cruz), a young Apache/Yaqui activist who had participated in the Alcatraz Island occupation. [78], Littlefeather credited the speech with bringing attention back to the situation at Wounded Knee,[57] though news coverage of the standoff at the time makes little mention of Littlefeather or Brando. [8][113], In a 1991 article, Littlefeather was credited with co-founding the American Indian Registry for Performing Arts. The social turbulence of the 1970s was a time of much-needed change in Indian country. Some of Littlefeathers claims about aiding Native American organizations can be verified. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed the . Later that night, before she announced the Best Actress winner, Raquel Welch said, "I hope the winner doesn't have a cause. [79][7] Actor Jay Silverheels, who played Tonto in The Lone Ranger and later founded the Indian Actors Workshop, commented that he didn't think Littlefeather's appearance at Oscars "did any harm or any particular good. [89][90][91] In 1978, it was reported that Littlefeather would travel to Newfoundland with the Greenpeace Foundation to protest the Newfoundland seal hunt along with politicians and other show business personalities. Her . FILE - Sacheen Littlefeather, a Native American activist, tells the audience at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, March 27, 1973, that Marlon Brando was declining to accept his Oscar as best actor for his role in "The Godfather." None of Littlefeathers relatives identified as Native American, Keeler said. [20] She claims to have participated part-time in the occupation of Alcatraz in 1970, though this claim has been disputed. Orlandi didnt understand Brandos choice. Legal Statement. [105][106][107], In 1988, she served as the secretary and community member-at-large on the interim board of directors of the American Indian AIDS Institute of San Francisco. The activist had been battling. [5], Over the years, Littlefeather described her personal experiences with serious health issues, including internal bleeding, collapsed lungs, and cancer. [108] Around this same time period, Littlefeather worked at the Gift of Love AIDS hospice in San Francisco, which was founded in 1988 by Mother Teresa, and had the opportunity to meet Mother Teresa during at least one of her five visits to the facility before her death in 1997. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. He was even known to have donated money to the Black Panthers. No one was without an opinion and some Hollywood stars are remembered for the stands they would take, even if they were unpopular and controversial. LIttlefeathers longtime Bay Area friend, Bridget Neconie, said she and others never doubted Littlefeather was Apache or Yaqui. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. (Photo by Beck Starr/FilmMagic/Getty Images). All rights reserved. [122], In 1973, Littlefeather was married to engineer Michael Rubio. [5][7] Both Geroldine and Manuel were saddlemakers. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actress and activist who declined Marlon Brando's best actor Oscar in 1973, has died, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Sunday night. Market data provided by Factset. Few Academy Awards ceremonies have been as eventful as the one held in 1973, when Marlon Brando sent Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather to explain why he was rejecting his award . Some felt that Brando was making a mockery of the awards, while others felt that he was jumping on a social cause bandwagon. A few months after the Academy Awards, Brando was a guest on The Dick Cavett Show, where he eloquently explained his position and showed no regrets for asking Littlefeather to attend the Oscars. She can rest assured that no one will take her bravery that night for granted; and long after her passing, she will continue to be a shining example for others. Indian activists had taken over the Bureau of Indian Affairs building the year before and the siege of Wounded Knee was underway in South Dakota. Sacheen Littlefeather, who famously took to the stage when Marlon Brando won an Oscar for The Godfather to decline the award, has died at the age of 75. But the next night, Orlandi watched on live TV as Sacheen stoically ascended the Oscars stage in a buckskin dress and told a global audience of 85 million that she was Apache. Sacheen Littlefeather holds a written statement from actor Marlon Brando refusing his Best Actor Oscar on stage at the Academy Awards, Los Angeles, California. [73] Brando and Littlefeather's protest was generally considered inappropriate for the awards ceremony. [10][11][12] After high school, she attended Hartnell Junior College and studied elementary education. [28] She said her mother and two sisters were subject to their father's rage and beatings. [40] As a spokesperson for the National American Indian Council, she protested President Richard Nixon's budget cuts to federal Indian programs in February 1973. Were also on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Flipboard. [99] In the 1980s, she led prayer circles for Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American Catholic saint. [2][3], Littlefeather was born Marie Louise Cruz on November 14, 1946, in Salinas, California. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Keeler writes that the sisters state that their father, who was born in Oxnard, California, was of Mexican descent and had no tribal ties, nor was he related to the Yaqui tribes of Northern Mexico. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. [5][101] In 1991, Littlefeather was reported to be recovering from radical cancer surgery. (Bettmann via Getty Images). Demanding a regime change from the U.S.-backed tribal government that had been mistreating the reservation's residents for years, the occupiers found themselves in a 71-day armed battle against the FBI and the U.S. The actress, who had breast cancer, died on Sunday . Littlefeather represented Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973, where she - on Brando's behalf - declined the Best Actor award that he won for his performance in The Godfather. Geroldine Cruz was not a battered wife or mentally ill, and their hearing-impaired father never touched alcohol or abused his children. Sacheen Littlefeather holds a written statement from actor Marlon Brando refusing his Best Actor Oscar on stage at the Academy Awards, Los Angeles, California. Littlefeather said her father was of Apache and Yaqui ancestry[1] and her mother was of European descent. Still, in the short time she did have, Littlefeather made her voice heard. VisitMy Modern Met Media. Littlefeather has long been an accepted and highly respected member of the Native American community despite lingering speculation about her identity. Image of Sacheen Littlefeather standing before an Oscar statue holding Marlon Brando's statement at the 45th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, 1973. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sacheen_Littlefeather&oldid=1140269831, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 08:33. Marshal Service as the eyes of the nation watched on the evening news. On behalf of Marlon Brando, she refused the Best Actor award he was awarded for his role in . By 1949, they had moved to Salinas and opened up their own business, Cruz Saddlery. Its one of the biggest hoaxes certainly the biggest hoax since Iron Eyes Cody, said Dina Gilio-Whitaker, a Cal State San Marcos lecturer of American Indian Studies who was commissioned at one point to ghostwrite Littlefeathers memoir. [132] The Pascua Yaqui Tribe stated neither Littlefeather nor her parents were enrolled tribal members. [97][98] She criticized the use of an Indian-themed mascot at Tomales High in 2001. Tyler Perrys Inspiring Oscars Acceptance Speech Denounces Hate, Zendaya Makes Emmy Awards History and Sets Two Records in One Night, Chlo Zhao Makes History as First Woman of Color To Win Oscar for Best Director, Natalie Portman Wore Cape Embroidered With Names of Women Directors Snubbed by Oscars. Speaking with PEOPLE ahead of the Oscars, Williams, 42, recalls seeing a clip of Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather appearing on behalf of The Godfather winner Marlon Brando during the . ", "Sacheen Littlefeather Once Cheered Cowboys", "Littlefeather discards Oscar memories, finds new dances", "I Believe television program: Father Harry Schlitt and Sacheen Littlefeather", "Alcatraz Miss Chosen as Top Female Vampire", "Official Ceremony Marks Opening Of Fair Tonight", "It's Oscar TimeDo You Know Where Sacheen Littlefeather Is? Dina Gilo-Whitaker is a lecturer of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos. [27] During a 1976 television interview she described her father as abusive. [5], Littlefeather joined the audience minutes before the award for Best Actor was announced. Not only did he refuse the Academy Award for Best Actor, which he won for his role as Don Vito Corleone, but he sent Sacheen Littlefeather to the ceremony in his place. "[15] Littlefeather said she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. [4] She said she chose the name Sacheen because that was the name her father called her before he died, and Littlefeather came from the feather she always wore in her hair.
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