A renowned writer and journalist from Barranquilla, he is remembered for his chronicles, columns, and reports that appeared in newspapers such as El Nacional and Diario del Caribe, where he served as director. His topics encompassed film, politics, literature, and social issues. He also distinguished himself as a short story writer, and in 1954 a compilation of his stories was published in the book Todos estábamos a la espera (We Were All Waiting). This was followed by his novel La casa grande (The Big House) (1962) and a second compilation titled Los cuentos de Juana (Juana's Stories) (1972). Film was another of his great passions: he filmed three documentaries about Barranquilla and the short film La langosta azul (The Blue Lobster) (1954). Cepeda Samudio's literary work is praised for its expressive and well-structured language, as well as for the originality of his stories. He was a member of the Barranquilla Group and a precursor of the Latin American Boom, which emerged in the mid-20th century.