“The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unwarranted,” former Academy President David Rubin wrote in a letter to Littlefeather. “The emotional toll you have experienced and the cost to your own career in our industry is irreparable. For too long the courage you have shown has gone unrecognized. For this, we offer our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.” In a statement, Littlefeather called the upcoming event, where she will receive the apology in person, “a dream come true.” “As for the Academy’s apology to me, we Indians are very patient people — it’s only been 50 years!” he said. “We have to keep our sense of humor about it at all times. It’s our survival method.” Several Indigenous artists will perform during the event for Littlefeather, including Bird Runningwater, co-chair of the Academy’s Indigenous Alliance, and Virginia Carmelo, a descendant of the Tongva people who will lead the land recognition. “It’s deeply encouraging to see how much has changed since I didn’t accept the Oscar 50 years ago,” Littlefeather said.
Her speech won cheers and applause
When Brando won best actor for his lead role in The Godfather, he was absent. Instead, he asked Littlefeather, then an actor and activist, to attend the ceremony — and refuse the award on his behalf. Taking the stage quietly and calmly in a leather dress, Littlefeather formally introduced herself as an Apache woman and chair of the National Commission on Affirmative Imagery of Native Americans. “(Brando) unfortunately cannot accept this very generous award and the reasons for that are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry,” she said to a mix of boos and applause, pausing to look visibly upset. “Right now I beg that I have not intruded tonight and that in the future our hearts and understanding will meet in love and generosity.” Brando also declined to accept the award because of the federal response to Wounded Knee, when members of the American Indian Movement occupied the South Dakota town but faced resistance from federal law enforcement. Littlefeather said she promised Brando she wouldn’t touch the Oscar statuette, she said. , A framework. “But it was like looking into a sea of Clorox, you know, there were very few people of color in the audience.” She also said that John Wayne, the conservative Western star who once said “Indians were selfishly trying to keep (the US) to themselves,” asked her to “take her off the stage,” although he was restrained by security guards . After the ceremony, Littlefeather said she had been “silenced” and was struggling to find work in the film industry. She devoted much of her post-Oscar career to activism and founding performing arts organizations for Native actors. Despite the condemnation she received from some in Hollywood who disagreed with her advocacy of Native Americans, Littlefeather said she received praise and support from leaders such as Coretta Scott King and Cesar Chavez. “I knew I had done the right thing,” he told A.Frame. Correction: This article has been updated to note that David Rubin is the former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
