John Cudjo Memorial
Schedule of Events
10:00 — Welcome & Opening Prayer – Pastor Willie Guient, Middle Creek Baptist Church
10:15 — The Story of John Horse Cudjo – Cudjo Descendants
10:30 — Speaker on the history of racial violence in Oklahoma – Jennifer Harris, EJI
11:00 — Soil Collection Ceremony & Marker Unveiling
11:20 – Acceptance of Marker – Richard Ellwanger, Seminole Nation Museum
11:30 – Reflection time/community remarks – Willard Tillman, OBHRP, Inc.
12:00 – Closing
Honoring John Cudjo’s Life
On Saturday, July 12th, join us for the dedication ceremony for the memorial marker honoring the life and legacy of John Cudjo, a Black Seminole man lynched by a white mob outside the Wewoka courthouse in 1913. His death was met with injustice and silence for over a century, as no one investigated or was held accountable.
In partnership with the Cudjo Family, the Seminole Nation Museum, and the Equal Justice Initiative’s Community Remembrance Project, Cudjo’s life and legacy will be remembered and honored with a permanent memorial marker and ceremony at the museum.
The program will include the unveiling of the memorial marker, as well as reflections from Cudjo’s descendants, a blessing from Pastor Willie Guient from Middle Creek Baptist Church, and remarks from historians, including Willard Tillman of the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project. Jennifer Harris, senior project manager from the Equal Justice Initiative, will also reflect on racial justice and remembrance.
This event brings together the community, descendants, and allies to remember, reflect, grieve, and commit to a more just future in Oklahoma and beyond. For more information about The Equal Justice Initiative, please visit their website by clicking the button below.