2026 On The Same Page

About the Book

In the late 1800s, a caravan of formerly enslaved men and women create their own secret community, hidden in the Appalachian Mountains. After walking hundreds of miles, they claim a 200-acre territory and —dreaming of African dynasties—create a self-self-sustaining kingdom ruled by a king and a queen. Then one day, this revolutionary kingdom suddenly vanishes.

This is the true story of the Kingdom of the Happy Land. It is not a fairy tale (though it must have seemed so at the time). It was an astounding feat of real imagination and true economic empowerment. Happy Land is both an inspiring exploration of the resilience and vision of freed African Americans during the 19th century. It is also a transporting novel about the significance of land and the echoes it has through generations when it is lost.

Visit our online catalog to put a copy of the book on hold. Book giveaways will begin throughout the county beginning on Monday, Sept. 21.

About Our Programs

Our On The Same Page celebration will run from Sept. 21 to Oct. 18 and will feature events, programming, book club discussions, and conversations around the book’s themes. Programs will be announced beginning in August on our website, online calendar, social media accounts, and other outlets.

Programs

Featured Program

An Afternoon with the Author
Sun., Oct. 18 from 2-4 p.m.
Forsyth County Central Library Auditorium
Close out a month of history, discovery, and discussions with Happy Land author Dolen Perkins-Valdez. She’ll discuss her New York Times bestselling novel inspired by historic events in North Carolina. A book-signing will follow her talk. Bookmarks will be selling Happy Land and her 2002 novel Take My Hand. Admission is free. Registration is required and begins on Friday, Sept. 25 on Eventbrite.

Clemmons Branch Library

Connecting with Your Roots
Tues., Oct. 1 from 10-11 a.m.
Auditorium
Adults. Learn how discovering your family's past through genealogy databases can deepen your understanding of the present. Registration required.

Forsyth County Central Library

New Farmers of America
Tues., Sept. 29 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Forsyth Reading Room
Learn about the New Farmers of America, a 1930s vocational agricultural organization that encouraged young African American boys to pursue farming and promoted rural leadership, scholarship, and cooperation.

Seeds & Stories
Fri., Oct. 9 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Storytime Room
Ages 6 and up. Families will read, create, learn, and grow together by sharing stories and exploring the themes of family, community, and gardening. Come decorate flowerpots, plant seeds to take home, and learn creative ways to care for and use what you grow. Registration required.

Lewisville Branch Library

African American Genealogy
Thurs., Sept. 24 from 11 a.m.-noon
Multi-purpose Room
Adults. Learn about the unique types of records used in African American genealogy and discover research methods to help you find ancestors.

The Pursuit of Happy Land
Sat., Oct. 3 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Auditorium
Adults. Hear the fascinating history that inspired Happy Land from Hendersonville, North Carolina, historian Ronnie Pepper.

From the Power of the Grave: Old Salem Presents Happy Hill
Wed., Oct. 14 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Mary Alice Warren Community Center
Learn the history of Happy Hill and its cemetery from Martha Hartley, director of Moravian research at Old Salem Museum & Gardens.

Malloy/Jordan East Winston Heritage Center

Roots of Healing: Herbal Traditions and the Black Apothecary
Tues., Oct. 13 from 6-7:15 p.m.
Auditorium
Adults. Explore the history of herbal remedies, discuss the traditional uses of common medicinal herbs, and learn the vital role apothecaries played in early medicine and community care.

Paddison Memorial Branch Library

STEAM for Tweens
Tues., Oct. 6 from 4-4:45 p.m.
Storytime Room
Ages 8-11. Celebrate On The Same Page and decorate bird feeders. Registration required.

STEAM for Teens
Tues., Oct. 12 from 4-4:45 p.m.
Storytime Room
Ages 12-18. Celebrate On The Same Page and decorate bird feeders. Registration required.

Reynolda Manor Branch Library

Winterizing the Garden
Fri., Sept. 25 from 10-11 a.m.
Auditorium
Adults. Learn simple, practical ways to protect your plants, care for your soil, and prepare your outdoor spaces for a healthy, productive spring. Program presented by the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center.

Forsyth Community Gardens
Fri., Oct. 23 from 10-11 a.m.
Auditorium
Adults. Explore how Forsyth's community gardens developed, what they aim to accomplish, and how they serve as accessible spaces for growing food, building skills, and strengthening connections. Presented by the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center

Rural Hall/Stanleyville Branch Library

Our Family Stories Workshop
Mon., Sept. 21 from 5-8 p.m.
Auditorium
Adults. Reflect on meaningful memories, traditions, and the people who shaped your life in a guided writing workshop and leave with a keepsake to treasure and share with future generations.

Beekeeping Storytime
Thurs., Sept. 24 from 11 a.m.-noon
Auditorium
Ages 4-6 and caregivers. Enjoy a special beekeeping-themed Storytime and stay afterward to make a flying bee craft.

Walkertown Branch Library

Bees Family Storytime
Mon., Sept. 28 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Auditorium
Ages 7 and under with caregivers. Buzz into the library and learn about the incredible lives of bees while enjoying stories, songs, and crafts.

Intention Jars: Herbs & History Workshop
Tues., Oct. 13 from 11 a.m.-noon
Auditorium
Learn the meanings of herbs, crystals, and symbols and make an intention jar for protection, prosperity, or relaxation. Registration required.