During a moving ceremony in Los Angeles, punctuated by dances and Native American songs, the Academy issued a public apology to Sacheen Littlefeather, once celebrated by activists for her approach but ostracized by film professionals.
Sacheen Littlefeather, who is Apache and Yaqui, was shouted down at the 1973 ceremony as she explained why Marlon Brando, whom she portrayed in her absence, could not accept his Best Actor Oscar for 'The Godfather' due to of the "treatment of American Indians today by the motion picture industry".
To a large audience at the Oscars museum, the actress said on Saturday that she then "came on stage, like a proud Indian woman, with dignity, with courage, with grace and with humility".
"I knew I had to tell the truth. Some people could take it. Some people couldn't."
Sacheen Littlefeather said Western star John Wayne had to be stopped from physically attacking her as she left the stage.
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Then a member of the Screen Actors' Guild, the union of film professionals, the actress then struggled to land contracts in Hollywood, casting directors having been dissuaded from hiring her.
Former Academy President David Rubin, who apologized to her in June, took to the stage, referring to the "emotional burden" borne by the Native American activist and "the cost to (her) own career".
"For too long, the courage you have shown has gone unrecognized. For this, we offer you both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration."
The apology comes as the movie industry grapples with what many see as a culture of sexism, racism and impunity.
"The academy and our industry are at an inflection point," Rubin said on Saturday.
The Oscars museum, which opened in September 2021, is committed to addressing the institution's "problematic history", including racism.
An exhibition deals with the harassment suffered by the actress.
© 2022 AFP