Sacheen Littlefeather
Encyclopedia
Sacheen Littlefeather is a Native American
activist who donned Apache dress and presented a speech on behalf of actor Marlon Brando
, for his performance in The Godfather
, when he boycotted the 45th Academy Awards
ceremony on March 27, 1973, in protest of the treatment of Native Americans
by the film industry
.
, California
, U.S.
). Littlefeather claims a heritage that includes Apache
, Yaqui, Pueblo
, and European ancestry. On her official website, she states her father was from the White Mountain Apache
and Yaqui tribes from Arizona and that "Cruz" is her father's recognized tribe name.
, Littlefeather had participated in the occupation of Alcatraz Island
by American Indians' rights activists in 1969.
(AIM) in the early 1970s. In 1973, he decided to make a statement about the Wounded Knee Incident
and contacted AIM about providing a person to accept the Oscar for him. Dennis Banks
and Russell Means
picked Sacheen Littlefeather.
She represented Brando and his boycott of the Best Actor Oscar for The Godfather
(1972), as a way to protest the ongoing siege at Wounded Knee and Hollywood's and television
's misrepresentation of American Indians. Brando had written a 15-page speech for Littlefeather to give at the ceremony, but when the producer met her backstage he threatened to physically remove her or have her arrested if she spoke on stage for more than 60 seconds. Her on-stage comments were therefore improvised. She then went backstage and read the entire speech to the press. Exactly what became of the Oscar is unknown.
to rule out future proxy acceptance of Academy Awards.
area.
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
activist who donned Apache dress and presented a speech on behalf of actor Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
, for his performance in The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
, when he boycotted the 45th Academy Awards
45th Academy Awards
The 45th Academy Awards were presented March 27, 1973 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Charlton Heston, and Rock Hudson....
ceremony on March 27, 1973, in protest of the treatment of Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
by the film industry
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
.
Early life
Littlefeather was born Marie Louise Cruz November 14, 1946, SalinasSalinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). Littlefeather claims a heritage that includes Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
, Yaqui, Pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
, and European ancestry. On her official website, she states her father was from the White Mountain Apache
Fort Apache Indian Reservation
The Fort Apache Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in Arizona, United States, encompassing parts of Navajo, Gila, and Apache counties. It is home to the federally recognized White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, a Western Apache tribe. It has a land area of 2,627.608...
and Yaqui tribes from Arizona and that "Cruz" is her father's recognized tribe name.
Activism
A member of Indians of All TribesIndians of All Tribes
Indians of All Tribes may refer to one of two organizations:*Indians of All Tribes, based out of San Francisco, and responsible for the Occupation of Alcatraz...
, Littlefeather had participated in the occupation of Alcatraz Island
Occupation of Alcatraz
The Occupation of Alcatraz was an occupation of Alcatraz Island by the group Indians of All Tribes . The Alcatraz Occupation lasted for nineteen months, from November 20, 1969, to June 11, 1971, and was forcibly ended by the U.S. government.-Background:...
by American Indians' rights activists in 1969.
Academy Awards Controversy
Marlon Brando became involved with the American Indian MovementAmerican Indian Movement
The American Indian Movement is a Native American activist organization in the United States, founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by urban Native Americans. The national AIM agenda focuses on spirituality, leadership, and sovereignty...
(AIM) in the early 1970s. In 1973, he decided to make a statement about the Wounded Knee Incident
Wounded Knee Incident
The Wounded Knee incident began February 27, 1973 when about 200 Oglala Lakota and followers of the American Indian Movement seized and occupied the town of Wounded Knee, South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation...
and contacted AIM about providing a person to accept the Oscar for him. Dennis Banks
Dennis Banks
Dennis Banks , a Native American leader, teacher, lecturer, activist and author, is an Anishinaabe born on Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Banks is also known as Nowa Cumig...
and Russell Means
Russell Means
Russell Charles Means is an Oglala Sioux activist for the rights of Native American people. He became a prominent member of the American Indian Movement after joining the organisation in 1968, and helped organize notable events that attracted national and international media coverage...
picked Sacheen Littlefeather.
She represented Brando and his boycott of the Best Actor Oscar for The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
(1972), as a way to protest the ongoing siege at Wounded Knee and Hollywood's and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
's misrepresentation of American Indians. Brando had written a 15-page speech for Littlefeather to give at the ceremony, but when the producer met her backstage he threatened to physically remove her or have her arrested if she spoke on stage for more than 60 seconds. Her on-stage comments were therefore improvised. She then went backstage and read the entire speech to the press. Exactly what became of the Oscar is unknown.
Fall out
The incident provoked the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & SciencesAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
to rule out future proxy acceptance of Academy Awards.
Personal life
Currently, Littlefeather is the coordinator of the Kateri Prayer Circle in San Francisco and resides in the San Rafael, CaliforniaSan Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
area.
Filmography
- Reel Injun (2009)
- Shoot the Sun Down (1981)
- Winterhawk (1975)
- Johnny Firecloud (1975)
- Freebie and the Bean (1974) (uncredited)
- The Trial of Billy JackThe Trial of Billy JackThe Trial of Billy Jack is a 1974 film starring Delores Taylor and Tom Laughlin. It is the sequel to the 1971 film Billy Jack and the third film overall in the series. Although commercially successful, it was panned by critics.-Plot:...
(1974) - The Laughing Policeman (1973) (uncredited)
- Consigliori, Il (1973)
- The 45th Annual Academy Awards (TV) (1973) (Representing Marlon Brando to explain his boycotting of his Best Actor award for The Godfather)