In 1973, At the 45th Academy Awards, Sacheen Littlfeather appeared on behalf of Marlon Brando, who had refused his Best Actor award for The Godfather in protest of how Native people were treated, both on screen and in real life. At that time Federal authorities had Wounded Knee under siege, as members of the American Indian Movement took a stand against decades of broken treaties, corruption, and injustice on tribal lands.The audience booed. John Wayne reportedly had to be held back by security.

A look back at the legendary Angela Lansbury performing her dazzling opening number at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973. | The Academy

Sacheen Littlefeather shocked the world when she went on stage at the 45th Academy Awards. Littlefeather, who was a member of the Apache Tribe, rejected the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando, who won for his performance as Vito Corleone in ‘The Godfather,’ due to the poor treatment of Indigenous peoples: specifically their depiction in television and films. The Academy later issued an apology to Littlefeather before she passed in October of 2022. Check back everyday for a new moment an

Sacheen Littlefeather refusing the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando for his performance in 'The Godfather' at the 45th annual Academy Awards in 1973. | The Academy