Lost Histories & Black Resilience: A Conversation with Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Well Read Baddies, we’ve got another #MinisodeMonday for you, and this one is giving uncovering lost history, powerful storytelling, and a side of economic revolution. We had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Dolen Perkins-Valdez, bestselling author of Wench, Balm, Take My Hand, and now Happy Land—a novel that brings to light a nearly forgotten piece of Black history: The Kingdom of the Happy Land.
Now, if you’re anything like us, you’re probably thinking, “Wait… a whole Black kingdom in the U.S.? And we’ve never heard of it?” SAME.
A Black Kingdom in America? Yep.
Dolen took us through the real history that inspired Happy Land, and y’all, it’s WILD. In 1873, a group of formerly enslaved people in the Carolinas built their own self-sustaining community, pooling their resources, growing their own food, and even crowning a King and Queen. They literally reclaimed their freedom on their own terms.
“I wasn’t looking for a book idea—it found me,” Dolen told us. “I stumbled upon this history while learning to play the banjo during the pandemic, and I thought, ‘How have I never heard of this before?’”
And honestly, that’s the real question. The only written record of the Kingdom of the Happy Land? A short 18-page pamphlet from 1957. That’s it. No textbooks, no documentaries, no deep dives—just a nearly erased legacy of Black ambition and resilience.
Why This Story Still Matters
One thing that stuck with us from this convo was how much this history reflects our present-day struggles. The people of Happy Land built something for themselves—much like how today, we talk about the power of economic boycotts, supporting Black businesses, and reclaiming our financial power.
Dolen put it best: “The only way for us to be heard in this moment is through some kind of economic pinch.” And when we see companies rolling back DEI initiatives and Black businesses struggling for visibility, we have to ask: are we putting our money where our values are?
Reclaiming Our Stories
This episode was also a reminder of how Black history is so much more than struggle. It’s about creation. It’s about power. It’s about the everyday people who did extraordinary things—people we should have learned about in school.
And, of course, we had to talk about Happy Land’s absolutely gorgeous cover.
Dolen made it clear: “I told my publisher, ‘No more headless covers.’ I wanted a bold, full-frontal Black woman. Black women deserve to see themselves centered in stories—on the page and on the cover.”
The Fight to Keep Our History Alive
As much as we love diving into historical fiction, this episode also reminded us how much of our history has been intentionally erased. If a story like the Kingdom of the Happy Land—where Black people built something real, something thriving—can nearly vanish from history, how many more stories have been lost? Who gets to decide which stories get told and which get buried? The work Dolen is doing isn’t just about writing books—it’s about ensuring that these stories aren’t forgotten, that Black resilience isn’t just a footnote in history. Because if we don’t tell these stories, who will?
For the Baddies Trying to Get Back Into Reading…
We know a lot of y’all are getting back into your reading era, and Dolen dropped some advice just for you:
📚 Read what you actually enjoy—don’t force yourself through books that aren’t hitting.
📖 Start small—short stories, novellas, or audiobooks can help build the habit.
🔥 It’s okay to DNF (Did Not Finish) if a book isn’t working for you. Life is too short!
So if you’re looking for a book that blends history, storytelling, and some serious Black excellence, Happy Land needs to be at the top of your TBR.
🎧 Listen to the full minisode now wherever you get your podcasts!
📖 Grab your copy of Happy Land and support indie bookstores by shopping through our Bookshop!
