The social turbulence of the 1970s was a time of much-needed change in Indian country. Littlefeather, who appeared nervous during her speech and was booed by a few attendees, received both harassment and praise after the event. Littlefeather's family asked mourners to make donations to American Indian Child Resource Center in Oakland, California. Littlefeather said her father was of Apache and Yaqui ancestry[1] and her mother was of European descent. 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. Marlon Brando was one of those stars. [101] Although St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center did receive an Achievement Citation from the Catholic Health Association of the United States in 1986 for Traditional Indian Medicine's Role in the Carondelet Health System,[102] an article about the award only mentions the initiator of the program, Apache nurse Belinda Acosta, and the program coordinator, Ann Hubbert. Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined Brando Oscar, dies at 75 - Los At the time, Littlefeather, president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee, said the actor could not accept the award because "of the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie reruns.". En marzo de 1973 la actriz y activista indgena Sacheen Littlefeather se present en la gala de los Premios scar y declin sostener la estatuilla que haba ganado Marlon Brando por su papel de Vito Corleone en El Padrino . I thought, Oh great, this is the lengths you will go to to get into acting.'. He had also participated in the March on Washington in 1963 and he supported the work of Dr. Martin Luther King. Market data provided by Factset. Sacheen Littlefeather refuses to accept the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando for his performance in "The Godfather" at the 45th annual Academy Awards in 1973. Sacheen Littlefeather (left) appeared at the 1973 Oscars to decline a Best Oscar trophy for Marlon Brando, introducing herself as Apache and saying "The Godfather" actor could not accept because . She lives in San Francisco. [99] In the 1980s, she led prayer circles for Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American Catholic saint. [41] On March 6, 1973, she participated in a meeting between the Federal Communications Commission and members of several minority groups about the representation of minorities on television. Trouble was brewing even before Littlefeather arrived at the podium. Russell Means contended that "Marlon Brando and Sacheen Littlefeather totally uplifted" the lives of those at Wounded Knee. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. During her speech, the audience's response to Brando's boycotting was divided between booing and applause. Marlon Brando . https://www.thoughtco.com/sacheen-littlefeather-academy-awards-2477981 (accessed March 4, 2023). [7] She played a role in the mascot change at Tamalpais High School in the late 1980s, first becoming involved when she visited the high school as a guest director for the drama class play, "Grandmother Earth". [53] Before the ceremony, Brando decided thatas the favorite to win[52]he would boycott as a protest led by AIM against the ongoing siege at Wounded Knee and his views on how Native Americans were represented in American films. [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. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Maybe she didnt have the piece of paper to prove it, but theres no doubt about who she was., Other scholars and activists say Littlefeathers alleged fraud was an open secret for years, and that she obscured, embellished or fabricated biographical details. "I was a spokesperson, so to speak, for the stereotype of Native Americans in film and television," she later said. 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. She was later in a 32 year long relationship with and married Charles Koshiway Johnston, who died in 2021. Academy apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather for treatment when she My name is Sacheen Littlefeather. "Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards." 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. Littlefeather, who just passed away on October 2, 2022 at age 75, was only 26 years old when she took the stage after Brando was announced as the winner of the Best Actor Award. She was 75 years old. Bettmann/Getty Images Sacheen Littlefeather declining Marlon Brando's Oscar in 1973. Brando's speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. [39] Looking back at the photo shoot, Littlefeather later said, "I was young and dumb. In an article in the San . [80], At The Comedy Awards in 2012, comedian Norm Macdonald staged a parody of the speech in accepting an award on behalf of Melissa McCarthy. [21] Around this time she adopted the name Sacheen Littlefeather. The activist, who also worked as an actress, changed her name from Marie Louise Cruz to Sacheen Littlefeather after rediscovering her Native American heritage and becoming active in protests as a young woman. Native American people were in the bottom strata of all socioeconomic indicators, and it was clear to American Indian youth that change was not going to happen without dramatic action. [25] In 1988, she stated that her parents lived next door to her maternal grandparents, Marie and Gerold "Barney" Barnitz, while she and her two younger sisters lived with those grandparents. Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Delivered Marlon Brando's Oscar Rejection ), the co-chair of the Academy's Indigenous Alliance. In 1964 during a fish-in, which was a protest to honor fishing rights on Puget Sound promised to Native American tribes, he was even arrested. Riveting new S.F. [2][3], Littlefeather was born Marie Louise Cruz on November 14, 1946, in Salinas, California. [92] She served as an advisor to PBS's Dance in America: Song for Dead Warriors (1984), which earned its choreographer, Michael Smuin, an Emmy Award. Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar win for "The Godfather" | Sacheen LIttlefeathers longtime Bay Area friend, Bridget Neconie, said she and others never doubted Littlefeather was Apache or Yaqui. I knew Sacheen and I don't think it was her idea at allI am sure Brando recruited her". [26] She characterized this as either being "adopted",[21] or in foster care. [30][31], While living in the San Francisco Bay area in the early 1970s, Littlefeather participated in the 1971 American Indian Festival at Foothill College, judged a local 1972 beauty pageant as "Princess Littlefeather", and organized a 1972 American Indian Festival at the Palace of Fine Arts. [27] During a 1976 television interview she described her father as abusive. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images), LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 20: Activist Sacheen Littlefeather (L) and producer of the movie Christina Fon (R) attend the Q&A at the SAG President's National Task Force For American Indians & NBC Universal Premiere Screening Of "Reel indian" & "American Indian Actors" At LA Skins Fest on November 20, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. [79], In 2015, Littlefeather reported that her name and image were being used fraudulently to raise money claimed to be for the Lakota nation. 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Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Instead, she was given 60 seconds. Daily Question: In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather declined an Oscar on which actor's behalf? Then came Marlon Brando to bring it all to center stage quite literally. Bettmann via. Legal Statement. How forward-thinking Brando's decision was and the bravery Littlefeather displayed has only been recently recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She was accompanied by Brando's secretary, Alice Marchak, and wore an Apache buckskin dress. [68][69] At a later press conference, Littlefeather read to journalists the speech that Brando had prepared; The New York Times published the full text the next day. [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. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration." Sacheen Littlefather's sisters say she was not Native American. The "[Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. While some in the audience applauded Littlefeather, her presence at the awards ruffled feathers. I'm Apache and I am president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee. Orlandi didnt understand Brandos choice. or redistributed. And while Brando's motives weren't fully appreciated at the time, today it's clear that he was ahead of his time. Sacheen Littlefeather addressing the 45th Academy Awards in October 1973, declining Marlon Brando's Oscar for best actor on his behalf. Sacheen Littlefeather, Activist Who Took the Stage to Decline Marlon Canby has started an oral history project with Native American elders in Marin County. Marie Louise Cruz (November 14, 1946 October 2, 2022), better known as Sacheen Littlefeather, was an American actress, model, and activist on behalf of Native American civil rights. After the Academy Award speech, Littlefeather worked in hospice care. [18][19] In 1969, she joined the United Bay Indian Council. "[83] Many years later, Littlefeather said that King called her to thank her for the speech. I never saw my sister being beaten by my dad. Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. This guy cannot protect himself or his name or his reputation.. 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. [28] She said her mother and two sisters were subject to their father's rage and beatings. [2][3], Aspiring to become an actress, Littlefeather picked up several radio and television commercial credits and joined the Screen Actors Guild. She wore a buckskin dress and moccasins. [50] He called Littlefeather and asked her to appear on his behalf. [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. To her, Sacheen was Marie Louise Cruz from Salinas, and they had a Mexican American father and White mother. She's a friend of mine that I introduced to B She's an Indian princess. Rather, he sent Apache activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to reject the . The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the news on its social media accounts. [4][5] Her mother, Geroldine Marie Cruz (ne Barnitz), was a leather stamper of French, German, and Dutch descent, and was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. The Pascua Yaqui tribe in Arizona told this news organization that Littlefeather wasnt enrolled, while the White Mountain Apache hasnt responded to media inquiries about her membership. My mom was a very sweet, kind person, Orlandi said. She was blacklisted in Hollywood. [13][14], Littlefeather said that around age 19, she spent a year in a psychiatric hospital after previously hearing voices that pushed her to a suicide attempt, recounting what happened during a three hour visual history interview in 2022 with the director of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Native Americans had virtually no representation in the film industry in 1973, and they were primarily used as extras while lead roles depicting Indians in several generations of Westerns were almost always awarded to white actors. According to Littlefeather, she could "hear the boos and jeers" as she came on stage. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. He'd also supported Native American causes for years. Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actress and activist who made history when she declined the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando, has died at the age of 75. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. Sister reveals why Sacheen Littlefeather 'lied' about being Apache Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. Geroldine Cruz was not a battered wife or mentally ill, and their hearing-impaired father never touched alcohol or abused his children. After Liv Ullmann and Roger Moore announced that Marlon Brando won Best Actor for his performance as Vito Corleone in "The Godfather", Littlefeather surprised audiences by walking on stage in his place. At the 1973 Academy Awards, Sacheen Littlefeather refused the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando who won for his role in The Godfather. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industryexcuse me [booing and applause] and on television in movie re-runs, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee. Marlon Brando: The Life Story You May Not Know | Stacker Market data provided by Factset. [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. In one of the most memorable moments in Oscars history, Littlefeather took the stage in his place and spoke out about Hollywood's negative treatment of Native Americans. 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. [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. Sacheen Littlefeather - Wikipedia Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. [49][114][115] Littlefeather reported in 1991 that she was working on two shows for PBS, Remember Me Forever and The Americas Before Columbus, both scheduled for broadcast in 1992. In June 2022, the Academy sent Littlefeather a statement of apology that was read in full at An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather on September 17, two weeks before her death. "[71] When Clint Eastwood began presenting the Best Picture award, he joked, "I don't know if I should present this award on behalf of all the cowboys shot in all the John Ford Westerns over the years. Since the Native American hasnt been able to hear his voice heard or have his voice heard anywhere in the history of the United States, he shared, I felt that it was a marvelous opportunity for an Indian to be able to voice his opinion to 85 million people and I felt that he had a right to in view of what Hollywood has done to him.. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images), It was mortifying, said Cruz, of Lake County, Montana, of the Oscars appearance. Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined Brando's Oscar, dies at 75 : NPR Liv Ullmann and. Attempts were made at non-violent protests the Alcatraz occupation was completely nonviolent although it lasted well over a year but there were times when violence seemed like the only way to bring attention to the problem. Martha Ross is a Bay Area News Group features writer for The Mercury News and East Bay Times who covers everything and anything related to popular culture, society, health, womens issues and families. As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts. [43], In 1975, Littlefeather reported that she was working on a movie script about Edward S. Curtis with Cap Weinberger, Jr, who had written an article about Curtis for Smithsonian magazine. Meanwhile, the Vietnam War showed no end in sight despite massive protests. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. Winning the Academy Award in 1973 for "The Godfather," Brando sent a woman clad in Apache dress named Sacheen Littlefeather to turn down the award on his behalf. [130][131], Following Littlefeather's death, Navajo author Jacqueline Keeler interviewed Littlefeather's biological sisters Rosalind Cruz and Trudy Orlandi, who say their family did not have Native American ancestry. [84], In June 2022, the Academy sent Littlefeather a statement of apology, in which the organization's then-president David Rubin wrote: "The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified. [63][64][65][66][67] This claim has since been disputed by film historian Farran Nehme and biographer Scott Eyman. "When I am gone, always be reminded that whenever you stand for your truth, you will be keeping my voice and the voices of our nations and our people alive," the quote read. [24], In interviews, Littlefeather said she had a difficult childhood. Related Articles To Orlandi, it was the beginning of Littlefeathers nearly half-century hoax. Sacheen Littlefeather, Native American Activist Who Declined Marlon Sacheen Littlefeather, who declined Marlon Brando's Oscar, dies at 75 Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Delivered Marlon Brando's Oscar Rejection Speech, Dies at 75 The Academy formally apologized to the Native American activist and former actress in June after she. [42] In an interview published just before her Academy Awards appearance, she stated that she had helped send two Indian nurses to Wounded Knee and that she had relinquished her United States citizenship, along with seven Native Americans.