Sacheen Littlefeather was 75 years old when she died. She was an activist for Native Americans, and she was known for saying no to Marlon Brando’s Oscar for The Godfather. The Native American activist died, just two months after the Academy apologized for how they treated her at the 1973 Oscars. Here is everything you need to know about the actor’s death.
Biography of Sacheen Littlefeather
Sacheen Littlefeather was born in 1946 in the Navajo Nation of Arizona. She is also called Sacheen Littlefeather-Mills by some people. She has been a Native American rights activist since she was a teenager.
Daughter of an Apache and Yaqui father and a white mother, she was severely neglected by her parents, who suffered from mental illness and alcoholism, respectively. At the age of three, her grandparents took her in and raised her better. She witnessed her father hitting her mother when she was young. “I believe that shaped who I am today” is a common phrase heard today.
After her father’s death at age 17, Littlefeather began visiting Arizona reservations. “My life took a significant turn when I and other urban Indians returned to our traditions and history. The elders from various reservations were so pleased to meet us and welcome us that they would say things like, “You could be in an old photograph again.” It was fantastic.
Early in her twenties, Littlefeather worked at a San Francisco radio station and was in charge of a Native American affirmative action committee. She also examined how Native Americans are portrayed on television and in sports. When she heard Marlon Brando discuss the rights of indigenous people, she was moved.
She has been an activist since she helped launch the American Indian Movement when she was 14 years old (AIM). In 1973, she joined the national board of this organization, which led to her being arrested multiple times. In 1980, upon her release from prison, Littlefeather established the National Indian Women’s Hall of Fame Foundation to honor great Native American women leaders.
Sacheen Littlefeather’s Night of The Oscars
Littlefeather was with Brando worker Alice Marchak, who was with Littlefeather. Moore offered her an Oscar, but she turned him down while wearing a dress made of Apache buckskin. … the following: “Hello. I go by the name Sacheen Littlefeather. I’m Apache, and I lead the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee.
I’m here tonight to represent Marlon Brando, and he asked me to tell you in a very long speech, which I can’t do right now because of the time limit, but I’ll be happy to give it to the press after the session. He can’t take it now.
From movies to TV reruns, American Indian images have been used in a bad way a lot. I want to make it clear that these criticisms are not random; they come from my worry about how the film and TV industry treats this group of people. Our hearts and minds will come together with love and kindness”.
Later, it was revealed that John Wayne was waiting in the wings, and six security guards were needed to prevent him from pushing her off the stage. Brando’s original speech contained 739 words, but the awards show team instructed Littlefeather to shorten it to 60 seconds. Later, she read the entire speech at the press conference.
Sacheen Littlefeather, Who Rejected Marlon Brando’s Oscar, Received an Apology From the Academy
Littlefeather-actor-and-activist-who-declined-Marlon-Brando’s-oscar-dies-aged-75 Sacheen Littlefeather got an apology from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on June 4. She won an Oscar in 1969 for her work with Marlon Brando. They said it was wrong of them to be mean to her at a ceremony in 1970.
On September 17, she visited the Academy’s Los Angeles museum to apologize on behalf of her late father, who had declined the offer 42 years earlier. She also delivered a passionate speech.
How Did Sacheen Littlefeather Die?
The Native American actress and activist died on October 2, 2022, at the age of 75. She turned down Marlon Brando’s Oscar. Sacheen Littlefeather’s cause of death was revealed.
Marlon Brando won the best actor Oscar for his role in The Godfather in 1973, but he didn’t go to the ceremony because he was protesting for Indigenous rights.
Littlefeather went to the event in place of Brando. While she was giving a short speech, she declined to accept the award and said the actor didn’t want it because of “the way American Indians are treated today by the film industry… and on television, in movie reruns.”
She once talked about how hard and challenging her childhood was. As she said, her parents were crazy and couldn’t take care of her. So, her maternal grandparents raised her from the age of three.
About her illness and the cause of Sacheen Littlefeather’s death, it was stated many years ago that she was gravely ill with breast cancer. She added that her memory is not as sharp as it once was as a result of the chemotherapy and daily antibiotics she has been taking for many years.
Note that US day News neither confirms nor refutes any of this information regarding Sacheen Littlefeather’s cause of death. Please let us know if you find any errors or discover additional information.
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She elaborated by saying, “Cancer is a full-time job: the CT scans, MRIs, laboratory blood work, medical visits, chemotherapy, infectious disease control doctors, etc., etc. You do not need to apply for cancer if you are lazy.”
She had her own views about death and thought that when she died, she would go to another place, the world of my ancestors. “I’m saying goodbye to you … I’ve worked hard and earned the right to be myself.”
Messages of condolence were sent to Sacheen Littlefeather’s family and friends on social media. Through Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, his friends told the world how sad they were for him. May she finally be at peace.
Final Words
Sacheen Littlefeather was an activist for Native Americans. She was known for saying no to Marlon Brando’s Oscar for The Godfather. In 1973, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences offered her an Oscar but she turned it down wearing an Apache buckskin outfit.
Sacheen Littlefeather turned down Marlon Brando’s Oscar in 1970. Native American actress and activist died on October 2, 2022, at the age of 75. Sacheen received an apology from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences earlier this month. Sacheen Littlefeather was gravely ill with breast cancer.
