“I was surprised,” he said. “I never thought I’d see the day when I’d hear it, I’d live it. When I was on the podium in 1973, I stood there alone.” The 1973 Oscars saw Littlefeather, then 26, take the stage to refuse the Best Actor award on behalf of Marlon Brando. What he experienced that night included heckling, false praise and insulting gestures off stage. He was threatened with arrest and even physical assault. Now, the Academy has decided to make things right. “[Brando] Unfortunately, I cannot accept this very generous award,” Littlefeather said in an impromptu speech that evening. “And the reasons for that are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry [the audience begins to boo] — excuse me — and on television in film reruns, as well as recent events at Wounded Knee.’ She was given two instructions – the first, by Brando, not to touch the statuette. The second, from Oscars producer Howard Koch, who didn’t exceed 60 seconds in her speech, or she would be arrested by the security she ensured was on hand. And after her 60-second plea for justice, she was booed, mocked and even threatened by John Wayne, who she claims had to hold back to prevent him from storming the stage to attack her. “The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unwarranted,” then-Academy President David Rubin said in a letter to Littlefoot in June. “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 that, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.” After the incident, Littlefeather became known as a Native American civil rights activist and co-founded the American Indian Registry for the Performing Arts. “You know, I never stood on stage in 1973 for any kind of discrimination,” he said. “I stood there only because my ancestors were with me and I spoke the truth.” The history of comic book movies at the Oscars “Yes, there is an apology due,” he added. “As my friends in the local community have said, it’s long overdue. I could be dead by now. All my friends – [activists] Dennis Banks, Russell Means, John Trudell, [comedian] Charlie Hill — they’re gone.’ Still, the activist is excited by the influx of representation we’ve seen lately — notably the likes of Reservation Dogs and War Pony. “Finally, someone is breaking down the doors,” he said. “And I’m very glad that’s the case – even though I don’t swear like they do at Reservation Dogs.” An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather will be free to the public by online booking on 17 September 2022. Thumbnail image credit: Bettmann/Getty Images Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
