Marie Louise (Cruz) Littlefeather (1946 - 2022)

Born 14 Nov 1946 in Monterey, California, United States

Died 4 Oct 2022 at age 75 in Marin, California, United States

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Biography

Sacheen (Cruz) Littlefeather is Notable.

Sacheen was born in 1946. Her birth name was Maria Louise Cruz. Her mother's name was Geroldine Marie Barnitz. Her father was Manuel Ybarra Cruz. ^[1]

She grew up in Salinas, attending North Salinas High School. After graduating, she went to Hartnell Junior College, followed by California State College at Hayward. She became an actress and Native American advocate.

She was perhaps best known for representing "Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards (better known as the Oscars) in 1973, where she – on Brando's behalf [and dressed in traditional Native American costume] – declined the Best Actor award that he won for his performance in The Godfather. The favorite to win, Brando boycotted the ceremony as a protest against Hollywood's portrayal of Native Americans and to draw attention to the standoff at Wounded Knee. During her speech, the audience's response to Brando's boycotting was divided between booing and applause."^[2]

Her father was of Mexican ancestry; she claimed that he had Native American heritage. It is claimed by her sisters that he did not.

Whether or not she had Native American ancestry, she did a lot to bring attention to the plight of Native Americans, to the derogatory portrayals often shown in movies at the time, and to advocate for them.

She supported, and may have participated in, the occupation of Alcatraz in the late nineteen-sixties to early 70's.

She passed away in 2022.

Sources

1. ↑ "California Birth Index, 1905-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V27V-94X : 27 November 2014), Marie Louise Cruz, 14 Nov 1946; citing Monterey, California, United States, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento.
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacheen_Littlefeather

See also:

• http://www.sacheenlittlefeather.net/pages/1/index.htm

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJL7-B2PY : 28 June 2020), Sacheen Rubio, 2000-2008.

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K1DK-7P6 : 19 February 2020), Sacheen Littlefeather, 1993.