The Academy to apologise to Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather

By Press Association

August 16 2022, 4:13am

FILE – Sacheen Littlefeather appears at the Academy Awards ceremony to announce that Marlon Brando was declining his Oscar as best actor for his role in “The Godfather,” on March 27, 1973. The move was meant to protest Hollywood’s treatment of American Indians. Nearly 50 years later, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has apologized to Littlefeather for the abuse she endured. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Monday said that it will host Littlefeather, now 75, for an evening of “conversation, healing and celebration” on Sept. 17. (AP Photo, File)

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures says it will host an evening of “conversation, healing and performances” hosted by Native American activist and actress Sacheen Littlefeather.

The event will feature a formal apology to the actress who suffered decades of abuse within the industry following her appearance at the 1973 Oscars.

Littlefeather famously took to the stage to decline Marlon Brando’s best actor award for The Godfather, at his request.

Native American activist and actress Sacheen Littlefeather (Apache/Yaqui/AZ) invites you to a special evening at the Academy Museum.
More details in the thread below ⬇️
(Photo: © Globe Photos/ZUMA Press) pic.twitter.com/WrvebVrO5n
— Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (@AcademyMuseum) August 15, 2022

Instead, she gave a 60-second speech regarding the stereotypes and mistreatment of Native Americans in the entertainment industry, and the 1973 Wounded Knee protest in South Dakota.

On Monday, the Academy acknowledged that the actress, now 75, had been “professionally boycotted, personally harassed and attacked, and discriminated against for the last fifty years” following her actions.

“On September 17, join Sacheen Littlefeather at the Academy Museum for a night of conversation, healing, and performances as we reflect on the impact of her speech at the 45th Academy Awards (currently on view in our Academy Awards History gallery),” the organisation tweeted.

“Sacheen invites you to a special celebration of live Native American Indian performances featuring a long-awaited statement of apology from the Academy”.