We went to The Godfather premiere March 15, 1972.
We went at the invitation of Marlon Brando to go in his place in protest of how American Indians were represented in Western films
"Only good Indian is a dead one." That was the mantra back then in these movies I grew up with.
I knew this was important so I had a studio portrait taken in the dress I wore and how I looked. The off white coat is the one I wore into the theater.
We exited our limo and walked up the red carpet just like in the movies. We went to the cast party afterwards and I remember that no one talked with me. My white skin in contrast to the dark skin of my husband and Bob Jim, Chairman of the Yakima Nation. Back then interracial marriages were rare. None of them wanted to hear how we felt. You’ll find nothing on us even being there.
This is the reason Littlefeather refused The Oscar for Marlon Brando a year later.
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