SWR Minisode: The Lost History Behind Happy Land with Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Hey well-read baddies! This week, we’re back with another #Black365 minisode and we sit down with bestselling author Dolen Perkins-Valdez to talk about her new novel Happy Land, inspired by the real-life Kingdom of the Happy Land—a self-sufficient Black community founded by formerly enslaved people in 1873. With little recorded history on this lost American kingdom, Dolen’s research brings this untold story to life. We discussthe real history behind Happy Land and why it disappeared, the power of historical fiction in reclaiming Black narratives, and how economic independence has always been a form of resistance. If you love historical fiction, hidden history, or powerful storytelling, this episode is for you!

02:01 Church Announcements

4:36 Coffee Break

35:33 Get into the Guest

Connect with Dolen- https://dolenperkinsvaldez.com/

Books mentioned and recs- https://bookshop.org/shop/shewellread

We can’t wait to hear from you! :) Please send any questions or comments about this episode to shewellread@gmail.com or use the form at the bottom of the SWR Podcast page: https://www.shewellread.com/contact OR leave us a Voice Note at https://www.speakpipe.com/shewellread‬

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