Sacheen Littlefeather, who spoke for Marlon Brando at Oscars, dies at 75

Sasheen Littlefeather holds up the statement that she read March 23, 1973, at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on behalf of Marlon Brando, who declined to accept his Oscar as best actor in to protest the treatment of Native Americans in television and movies. (AP)

Sacheen Littlefeather, the actor and activist who declined Marlon Brando’s 1973 Academy Award for “The Godfather” on his behalf in an indelible protest of how Native Americans had been portrayed on screen, has died. She was 75.

Littlefeather’s niece, Calina Lawrence, confirmed that she died peacefully Sunday, surrounded by loved ones at her Marin County, California, home. The cause was breast cancer, the family said.