Her death came just months after the Academy issued a formal apology, nearly 50 years after Little Feather took the stage.
WASHINGTON — Sachin Little Feather, best known for taking the stage at the 1973 Academy Awards for Marlon Brando, has died at age 75.
The Academy confirmed the death of Little Feather. Twitter on Sunday night.
Her death came just months after the Academy issued a formal apology, nearly 50 years after Little Feather took the stage.
When Brando won best actor for “The Godfather,” Littlefeather took the stage, wearing a buckskin dress and moccasins, becoming the first Native American woman to do so at the Academy Awards. In a 60-second speech, she explained that Brando could not accept the award because of “the film industry’s treatment of American Indians today.”
Some in the audience cheered him on. John Wayne, who was backstage at the time, was reportedly furious. Held during the 1973 Oscars. The American Indian Movement’s two-month occupation of Wounded Knee in South Dakota. In the years since, Little Feather has said she was mocked, discriminated against and personally attacked for her brief appearance at the Academy Awards.
In announcing the apology, the Academy Museum shared a June 18 letter sent to Little Feather by Academy President David Rubin, about the famous Oscar moment. Rubin called Little Feather’s speech “a powerful statement that reminds us of the need for respect and the importance of human dignity.”
“The abuse you suffered because of this statement was unwarranted and unwarranted,” Rubin wrote. “The emotional toll you are going through and the cost to your own career in our industry is irreparable. For a long time the courage you showed went unrecognized. For this we offer both our deepest apologies and sincere appreciation.
“It’s great to see how much has changed since I first accepted an Academy Award 50 years ago,” Littlefeather said in a statement.
“As for the Academy apologizing to me, we Indians are very patient people – it’s only been 50 years!” said Little Feather. “We need to keep our sense of humor about it all the time. It’s our way of survival.”