Description
Join the Asheville Museum of History (AMoH) and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) on Tuesday, January 27th, from 6 PM - 7 PM via Zoom or at UNCA's Reuter Center for a special History Hour program: The Kingdom of the Happy Land with Ronnie Pepper.
The event airs live. The program will include a presentation followed by a Q&A session and discussion with Ronnie Pepper. In-person tickets are limited. Please register for Zoom if you know you will not be able to attend in person. Thank you again for your support!
About the History Hour Program:
Ronnie Pepper will introduce attendees to the history of the Kingdom of the Happy Land and individuals and families who resided there. In Henderson County on the border of North and South Carolina, there were a group of freed people who had a dream of a land. A land that could bring them peace, hope and a beginning of a dream. Their dream was rooted in an ancestral tribal memory and sustained by the hope for a promised land. The land on which they settled came to be known as the Kingdom of the Happy Land. Come hear the facts of the story as it has been researched, documented by the Black History Research Group of Henderson County. Hear about the documents that surround those families that resided on a Land Known as the Kingdom, presented by Ronnie Pepper.
About the Speaker:
Ronnie Pepper is a native of Henderson County. His wife Roxanna, of 46 years, share six grandchildren and two children together. Ronnie is a veteran who served his nation in Germany while serving in the US Army. He holds an associate's degrees from AB Tech, Blue Ridge Community College, and Haywood Community College. He works as a library assistant at the Henderson County Library at the moment. Ronnie is the current chair of the Black History Research Group of Henderson County where he works with a committed committee to compile the histories of notable Black citizens in Henderson County documenting local anthologies of the accomplishments and histories of Henderson's Black populace. As an involved member of the community, Ronnie works with several agencies and nonprofits, providing support as needed. Ronnie is a member of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee, the Henderson County Walk of Fame Committee, the Hendersonville Housing Authority Board, and the 7th Ave Community Garden Committee. He attends and is an active member of Contemporary Missionary First Baptist Church.
Tickets:
$10 (plus taxes) General Admission / FREE for OLLI & AMoH members. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able, please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise. Tickets are limited for in-person lectures, so don't miss your opportunity to secure a spot!
* In-Person Tickets are limited *
Online Viewing:
Registrants will receive a confirmation email with Zoom link with which to view the program. For those attending in person, see "Location & Parking" below.
Location & Parking:
Reuter Center, home of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UNCA -- 300 Campus View Rd, Asheville, NC 28804
Visitor Parking is available and free (only from 5PM - 6AM) at the Reuter Center, BUT you must register your vehicle through UNCA's Visitor Parking webpage on the day of the event.
For questions about this event:
Email education@ashevillehistory.org or call AMoH at 828-253-9231
*This event is co-sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville*
Date & Time
Tue, Jan 27, 2026 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Venue Details
Reuter Center - UNCA/OLLI
300 Campus View RoadAsheville, North Carolina 28804
