Author Shares Inspiring Legacy of Groundbreaking African American Missionary Susan Angeline Collins in New Biography

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Aug. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Janis Bennington Van Buren has felt a special connection to Susan Angeline Collins ever since she was a young girl. One evening while attending an Iowa Methodist Episcopal Church, Van Buren saw what looked like a star above the lectern. When she asked her mother what the light was, she answered that it was "Susan's star" and told her Susan was a local Christian missionary who had served in Africa. This sparked something inside of Van Buren that made her determined to learn more about Susan's captivating life and the work of missionaries, and now decades later after years of research during her retirement, she presents her debut nonfiction book "Susan Angeline Collins: With a Hallelujah Heart."

Susan Angeline Collins grew up in Northeastern Iowa just three miles from where Van Buren grew up. Collins did housework for a local Reverend, who encouraged her to pursue a college degree at Upper Iowa University, which was not common for women of color at the time. After earning her Normal Training degree, she moved to the Dakota Territory and opened a laundry. She learned about a missionary training school in Chicago, sold her laundry, attended the school for a year, was recruited and became a Christian missionary. She served for 33 years in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.

"Susan Angeline Collins' story offers encouragement for today. In this time of racial and ethnic strife among rising tensions, her life represents what can happen when people are accepted in a community and allowed to thrive regardless of race, gender, or creed," Van Buren said. "Miss Collins' experiences demonstrate how birth into a humble family need not limit having a joyful and bountiful life. Her story conveys overcoming obstacles at a time when there were fewer protective laws for African Americans."

The biography also highlights the lasting impact inclusivity can have on society as a whole as well as the important role community, family, and religion play in daily life. Van Buren plans to donate 10 percent of her book's profits to the Susan Angeline Collins Scholarship at Upper Iowa University.

"Inspiration is needed in today's society and Susan's life story is one of inspiration," Van Buren said. "Susan's many firsts and spirit of adventure will also be an inspiration to girls and women of any era as they read about her amazing, yet humble life."

"Susan Angeline Collins: With a Hallelujah Heart"
By Janis Bennington Van Buren
ISBN: 978-1-6642-2575-6 (softcover); 978-1-6642-2576-3 (hardcover); 978-1-6642-2574-9 (electronic)
Available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WestBow Press and Christianbook.com

About the author
Janis Bennington Van Buren grew up on a farm in Northeast Iowa. She was very involved in her Fayette, Iowa Methodist Church, which had a long history of missionary work. Van Buren dreamed of becoming a Christian missionary, but life circumstances did not allow her to. She earned her bachelor's and master's of science and a doctorate of philosophy degree from Iowa State University. Van Buren was a tenured professor and administrator at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She also worked at Purdue University where she won state and national awards for her gender equity curriculum materials and public service announcements. In addition to writing, Van Buren enjoys gardening, hiking, and reading biographies, articles, and books related to historical events. She has traveled to all 50 states and on the seven continents. When at home in West Lafayette, Indiana, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, and friends. To learn more, please visit http://www.janisbenningtonvanburen.com.

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