Susan Angeline Collins, Part 1

In honor of Black History month, we are excited to share about an amazing woman of color. Susan was born on July 3, 1851 in the free state of Illinois. Her parents, Isaac and Sarah Ann, were both emancipated slaves. She was the first Black woman to graduate from Upper Iowa University; the first black woman to graduate from Chicago Training School; and the first black woman to be supported and sent out as a missionary to Africa by the Women’s Foreign Mission Society. Susan worked in various capacities with Bishop Taylor before starting and building her own school and orphanage in Quessua where she served as the administrator, teacher, principal, and nurse for over twenty-five years. When she returned to the states, Susan was a sought-after speaker at women’s meetings, churches, and various events. She never complained about the hardships or setbacks of her life, though there were many, but rather she worked with whatever circumstances life presented her with great success. Her story is so remarkable that we needed three episodes to highlight the obstacles, accomplishments, and events of her life

• Susan Aneline Collins: With a Hallelujah Heart By Janis Bennington Van Burent