8. The Trail of Tears.
In 1838, the U.S. government forced 16,000 Cherokee people to leave their homes and relocate to Indian Territory—now Oklahoma. Hundreds died along the way. You can actually walk the Trail of Tears today if you’re feeling both adventurous and sympathetic.
9. Navajo Code talkers helped us win WWII.
The Navajo language was used in secret international communication to create codes that the Japanese couldn’t break. The Code Talkers weren’t publicly recognized until 1992 despite being integral to every assault by the United States Marines in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945.
10. Sacheen Littlefeather refused Marlon Brando’s Oscar.
In 1973, the always unpredictable Marlon Brando sent 26-year-old activist Sacheen Littlefeather to reject his Best Actor Oscar for The Godfather on his behalf. Entertainment Weekly says, “It was one of the most memorable moments in the history of the Academy Awards—and one of the most controversial…Littlefeather explained that Brando was regretfully turning down the award to protest ‘the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry’ and the ongoing siege of 200 American Indian Movement activists by armed authorities in Wounded Knee, S.D.”
