Eunice “Dawn” Elsie Little Sky, groundbreaking Native American Disney artist and actress, dies at 95

Eunice “Dawn” Elsie Little Sky -- who broke barriers as the first Native American artist to color animation cels at Walt Disney Studios before transitioning to a successful acting career and becoming a respected Lakota cultural educator -- died Oct. 24 at Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota. She was 95.

Her family confirmed the death in an announcement .

Little Sky carved out a unique path in Hollywood during an era when Native American representation in entertainment was scarce, Parade noted.

At Disney Studios, she made history in the animation department before moving to work at Frontierland in Disneyland. She later appeared in several films including “The Apple Dumpling Gang,” “Gypsy,” “Chief Crazy Horse,” and “Duel at Diablo.” Television audiences saw her in cla