This Saturday, July 12, the life and legacy of John Cudjo, a Black Seminole man lynched by a white mob in 1913, will be publicly honored for the first time in Wewoka.

The memorial event will take place from 10 a.m. – 12 noon at the Seminole Nation Museum located at 524 South Wewoka, Avenue in Wewoka. The public to attend.

In 1913, Cudjo was lynched outside the Wewoka courthouse by a mob. His death, like many acts of racial violence during that era, went uninvestigated, and no individuals were ever held responsible. For more than a century, this tragedy remained largely unacknowledged in public records.

“John Cudjo was a son, a brother, and a member of a proud Black Seminole community,” the Cudjo family said in a news release. “For over a century, his death was left unacknowledged. This memorial is a step toward truth-telling, honoring his life, and creating space for healing. We hope this memorial invites our community to remember who we are, what we’ve survived, and what we still have to fight for.”

The program will include the unveiling of a historical marker, reflections from Cudjo’s descendants, and remarks by Jennifer Harris of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). Additional speakers include Pastor Willie Guient of Middle Creek Baptist Church and Wewoka historian Willard Tillman of the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project.

The event is part of EJI’s Community Remembrance Project, which works to document and memorialize victims of racial violence across the United States. For more information on the work of EJI, please visit EJI.org.

For more information on the Memorial Unveiling, please contact the museum at (405) 2575580. Follow the Seminole Nation Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to keep up with important updates and events.

The Seminole Nation Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been serving the community of Wewoka since 1974. It relates the vibrant culture and rich history of the Seminoles and their celebrated capital of Wewoka. The museum is open 10-5, Monday-Saturday. Admission is free.