OKEECHOBEE — The Seminole War Historians Convocation took place in Okeechobee on April 26-28, hosted by the Okeechobee Battlefield Friends. During the event, The Seminole Wars Foundation presented the 2019 Frank Laumer Legacy Award to Billy Cypress (posthumously). His widow, Carol Cypress, accepted the award along with his daughter, Carla.

The convocation began with a reception Friday evening in the Historic Courthouse in conjunction with the Main Street Artist Reception with Brad Phares’ artwork. Saturday was spent at the Veterans Building at the Brighton Seminole Reservation with presentations by Willie Johns, chief justice of the Seminole Tribal Court; Dr. Paul Backhouse of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum; Dr. Andrew Frank of FSU; Pedro Zepeda, Seminole historian and artist; and John and Mary Lou Missall and Joe Knetsch, authors.

Special to the Lake Okeechobee News
The Seminole Wars Foundation presented the 2019 Frank Laumer Legacy Award to Billy Cypress (posthumously). His widow, Carol Cypress, accepted the award along with his daughter, Carla (pictured).

A tour of the Seminole Tribe Administrative Building and the Red Barn was led by Lewis Gopher. The evening closed with a performance by Rita Youngman, Seminole music artist. Sunday’s events were held at the Okeechobee Battlefield Historic State Park with presentations by Archie Marshall, Seminole War historian, and Steve Carr, amateur archaeologist. The Okeechobee County Tourism Development Council provided a grant to help fund the event.

The convocation is held every two years, and will be hosted by Loxahatchee in 2021.