Ronnie Pepper, guest speaker
After the Civil War, a group of newly freed Blacks walked from Mississippi to southern Henderson
County looking for land where they could live peacefully and live sustainably. The legend of HappyLand
lives in both myth and truth. Ronnie Pepper tells us the story and updates us on recent research
findings.
Ronnie Pepper, a Hendersonville native and graduate of Hendersonville High School, is a predominant figure in the local community. Ronnie has been active in the community as an award Winning Child Development Worker and an advocate for education, as a storyteller and performer in community theatre, and as an historian and community activist. The story and history of the Kingdom of Happy
Land combines his interest in history with his storytelling talents. He has served on several boards and organizations throughout his lifetime, including the American Red Cross, Hendersonville YMCA, Flat Rock Playhouse, Blue Ridge Community College, Hendersonville Housing Authority, and NAACP to name a few. Pepper works at the Henderson County Public Library and is an avid storyteller as well as educator, spending more than 25 years with the Head Start Program. He also worked with the Black History Research Committee of Henderson County and has served on the Walk of Fame committee.
Topics: Connection, History, Journey