Uploaded April 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
“The Elder Dunjee: An Examination of the Life and Influence of John William Dunjee in Early Oklahoma,” presented by Edith Ritt-Coulter, is part of “Perspectives in History,” the 2022 Oklahoma History Symposium. When the history of Oklahoma City’s African American community is discussed, Roscoe Dunjee’s influence resonates within the historical record. Dunjee is noted as a leader who crusaded for Black equality through his work with the NAACP, various community groups, and his newspaper, the Black Dispatch.
This session seeks to extend the story of Dunjee by acknowledging the legacy of his father, John William Dunjee. The elder Dunjee contributed to the establishment of African American churches throughout Oklahoma and Indian Territories. He instilled in his children a sense of political consciences rooted in the ideology of racial uplift that impacted Oklahoma’s Black communities and communities throughout the United States. The goal presentation is to share the development of Oklahoma City’s African American community, receive feedback from fellow historians, and present a new perspective on understanding the impact of the Dunjee family as a whole.
“The Elder Dunjee: An Examination of the Life and Influence of John William Dunjee in Early Oklahoma,” presented by Edith Ritt-Coulter, is part of “Perspectives in History,” the 2022 Oklahoma History Symposium. When the history of Oklahoma City’s African American community is discussed, Roscoe Dunjee’s influence resonates within the historical record. Dunjee is noted as a leader who crusaded for Black equality through his work with the NAACP, various community groups, and his newspaper, the Black Dispatch.
This session seeks to extend the story of Dunjee by acknowledging the legacy of his father, John William Dunjee. The elder Dunjee contributed to the establishment of African American churches throughout Oklahoma and Indian Territories. He instilled in his children a sense of political consciences rooted in the ideology of racial uplift that impacted Oklahoma’s Black communities and communities throughout the United States. The goal presentation is to share the development of Oklahoma City’s African American community, receive feedback from fellow historians, and present a new perspective on understanding the impact of the Dunjee family as a whole.
