Sacheen Littlefeather Receives Apology Letter for 'Emotional Burden' Following 1973 Oscars Speech

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Academy Awards, where she delivered a powerful speech about Hollywood's mistreatment and misrepresentation of Native Americans.

Now, the Academy is sharing an apology for the subsequent fallout from her act of protest.Academy president David Rubin issued a letter to Littlefeather on the Academy's behalf in June, praising her speech and the impact it had.The letter, which Littlefeather made public on Monday, expressed the organization's regret for the way in which she was treated by the film industry after she took the stage at the Oscars in 1973 to refuse the award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando.«As you stood on the Oscars stage in 1973 to not accept the Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando, in recognition of the misrepresentation and mistreatment of Native American people by the film industry, you made a powerful statement that continues to remind us of the necessity of respect and the importance of human dignity,» Rubin said Littlefeather's remarks at the ceremony in the letter.«The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified.

The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable,» the letter continued. «For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged.

For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.»«Today, nearly 50 years later, and with the guidance of the Academy's Indigenous Alliance, we are firm in our commitment to ensuring indigenous voices-the original storytellers-are visible, respected contributors to the global film community,» the apology expressed. «We are dedicated to fostering a more inclusive, respectful industry that leverages a balance of art and activism to be a driving.