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Indigenous Activist & Actress Sacheen Littlefeather, 75, Dies

HeadlineOct 03, 2022

Indigenous activist and actress Sacheen Littlefeather has died at the age of 75. In 1973, she took the stage at the Oscars on behalf of Marlon Brando, who boycotted the ceremony to protest Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans. Some members of the audience booed and mocked Littlefeather as she addressed the awards ceremony wearing traditional Apache clothing.

Sacheen Littlefeather: “He 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 — excuse me — and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.”

The actor John Wayne reportedly attempted to remove Sacheen Littlefeather from the stage but was restrained by six security guards. Clint Eastwood mocked Littlefeather later in the ceremony. Sacheen Littlefeather died Sunday. In August, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures finally issued an apology for her mistreatment nearly 50 years ago.

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