Open Door Book Club

The book for February is The American Queen by Vanessa Miller. A limited number of copies will be available at the 2nd floor Reference Desk for those attending the book club. Books are made available from the North Carolina Reads book club.

This program is part of North Carolina Humanities’ statewide book club, North Carolina Reads. North Carolina Reads was created by North Carolina Humanities and is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at nchumanities.org.

The American Queen by Vanessa Miller
(Fiction) In 1869 a kingdom rose in the South. And Louella was its queen. When the honorable Reverend William finally listens to Louella’s pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people out of their plantation, Louella begins to feel hope. Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness–and fight for the freedom and dignity of all. Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen is based on actual events that occurred between 1865 – 1889 and shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom in Appalachia as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life. (description provided by North Carolina Reads)

North Carolina Humanities’ North Carolina Reads is a statewide book club exploring issues of racial, social, and gender equity and the history and culture of North Carolina. North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, opinions, or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of NC Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.