Genealogy Society at Flat Rock

April 14th,   1:30 pm Flat Rock Village Hall

Mr. Ronnie Pepper is the President of the Black History Research Committee of Hendersonville. The purpose of the committee is to document the accomplishments and challenges of African Americans in Henderson County, NC. Initially established in the 1990s, they published in 1996 a pioneering book “A Brief History of the Black Presence in Henderson County”. The group then became inactive for about 25 years. In 2020 a group of local citizens, spearheaded by Ronnie Pepper, reconvened the Committee and they currently work to collect and share information through their website and other initiatives.

Born and raised in Hendersonville, Ronnie has served in the US Army and has volunteered with numerous local organizations. After graduating from Hendersonville High School, he obtained certificates in Early Childhood Education, Recreation Leadership, and Social Work. He and his wife of 46 years have 2 children and 6 grandchildren.  Ronnie has received multiple awards for his civic volunteerism and was honored as Citizen of the Year by Hendersonville Civitan Club in 2018. He worked for many years with the Head Start Program, and now works for the Henderson County Public Library. Listening to the stories as he was growing up sparked his interest in learning about the history and promoting the mission of the group. 

Ronnie, who is a vivid storyteller, will present information to us about the history and education of black people in Henderson County. Additionally he will tell us about the Kingdom of the Happy Land, a community of freed slaves that settled near Tuxedo, NC.