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Sacheen Littlefeather’s image has lived in infamy after she took the stage at the 1973 Oscars to speak on the mistreatment of Native American people in the film industry. Now, a piece in the San Francisco Chronicle argues Littlefeather, who died earlier this month, was merely a fraud. Writer Jacqueline Keeler, who rose in infamy herself after publishing a list of people she claimed where “Pretendians” in 2021, claims Littlefeather isn’t Native, backed by some of the actress and activist’s estranged sisters.
Littlefeather’s act in 1973, declining Marlon Brando’s Best Actor Oscar for The Godfather on his behalf, brought immense backlash within the industry. The Academy apologized to Littlefeather in a letter reported in April. “The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” former Academy President David Rubin said.
Keeler followed her piece with a Substack article, asking the question: “Did the Academy apologize to a fraud?”