Where was Sacheen Littlefeather born? When was Sacheen Littlefeather born?

Sacheen Littlefeather, an American actress, model, and Native American civil rights activist was born on November 14, 1946, in Salinas, California. She passed away on Oct. 2, 2022 at age 75 from cancer.

She was born Marie Louise Cruz to parents Geroldine Marie Barnitz and Manuel Ybarra Cruz.

Littlefeather’s mother, Geroldine Marie Barnitz (1923–2009), was a leather stamper of French, German, and Dutch descent born and raised in Santa Barbara, California.

Her father Manuel Ybarra Cruz (1922–1966) was born in Oxnard, California and was of White Mountain Apache and Yaqui descent.

In interviews, Littlefeather has said that she had a difficult childhood.

In a 1974 interview, she stated that her mother left her father when she was 4 and took her to live with her maternal grandparents.

During a 1976 television interview she described her father as abusive and she has also stated that her mother and two sisters were subject to their father’s rage and beatings.

Twelve years later, she stated that her parents lived next door to her maternal grandparents, Marie and Gerold “Barney” Barnitz, while she and her two younger sisters lived with those grandparents.

Littlefeather attended North Salinas High School from 1960 to 1964 and was active in 4-H, winning awards in home economics categories such as food preservation and fashion.

After high school, she attended Hartnell Junior College and studied elementary education.