Browse Items (6 total)

This item is a brief newspaper profile of Sacheen Littlefeather, providing an overview of her career and activism, as well as her involvement in Brando’s refusal of the Oscar. The piece identifies her as being "part Apache," and describes her involvement in the Affirmative Image Committee, the National American Indian Council, and the occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1970, and quotes part of her televised statement during the Oscars ceremony.

This item is a newspaper article by Michael Kilian commenting on Marlon Brando’s refusal of the Oscar. The piece criticizes Littlefeather for “exploiting herself” by the roles she has taken and mocks Brando for succumbing to "self righteous self importance," in addition to calling out the alleged hypocrisy of the Indigenous activists occupying Wounded Knee, SD. Overall, the article does not appear to take Littlefeather, Brando, or the American Indian Movement seriously, nor does it view Hollywood as an appropriate venue for political action.

This item is a collection of letters to the editor published in the Los Angeles Times reacting to Brando’s refusal of the Oscar and Littlefeather’s statement. The letters are authored by Robert S. Birchard, Thomas L. Gillette, Mrs. John E. Grauman, and Suzanne Lego. The statements written by Birchard and Grauman express distaste for Brando's unwillingness to give his statement in person, instead sending "a woman to do a man's job," as well as his use of the Oscars as a political platform. On the other side of the debate, Gillette compares the audience's "puny response" to the "greatness" of Brando, and Lego calls out the "small-mindedness and bigotry in America" displayed by presenters Raquel Welch and Clint Eastwood in their responses to Brando and Littlefeather.

This item is a newspaper article by William F. Buckley published in the Minneapolis Tribune which provides an overview of Brando’s refusal of the Oscar, his activism at Wounded Knee, and Hollywood’s representation of Indigenous Americans. The tone is unserious and mocking, and the author appears disdainful of Brando in particular, writing that he has decided to become "Mr. Jane Fonda" and concluding that "the poor Indians" should be "spared the patronage of Marlon Brando."

A Los Angeles Times article containing the text of the speech Marlon Brando provided Sacheen Littlefeather to be read upon his refusal of the Academy Award. The speech was not read during the ceremony due to time limitations, but Littlefeather read it to the press after the ceremony and its contents was published in several major newspapers. In the statement, Brando writes that while he does not wish to insult the Academy or its members, he would like to "focus attention" on the mistreatment of Indigenous Americans by the United States and their negative representation by Hollywood. While there have been attempts to redress the situation, Brando states that they are "too faltering and too few so I as a member in this profession do not feel that I can as a citizen of the United States accept an award here tonight." He concludes the statement by thanking the audience for their "kindness and courtesy" to Littlefeather, assuming that she would be well-receieved at the Oscars ceremony.

This item is a video of Sacheen Littlefeather refusing the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando. The transcript of the video is included below:

SL: Hello. My name is Sacheen Littlefeather. I'm Apache and I am president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee. I'm representing Marlon Brando this evening and he has asked me to tell you in a very long speech, which I cannot share with you presently because of time but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards, that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry – excuse me – and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee. I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando.