Robin Van Auken

I am Robin Van Auken, founder of The Omnibus, an alliance of writers and editors, digital publishers, historical researchers, public relation specialists, graphic artists and web designers. Organized in 2001, it has kept its mission clear: To help our members and our clients preserve, present and profit from their most distinctive asset: their stories. Are you engaged in a project that requires research, editorial assistance, eBook development and publishing, marketing or Internet promotion? Contact us to talk about your idea. We’re here to help you reach your goal. The Omnibus is available to assist whether you are researching a family history, writing a novel or planning a corporate anniversary. We work with individuals, non-profit organizations, schools, colleges, private companies and municipalities. On the Internet at http://www.TheOmnibus.net Editorial Assista... (more)

A Monument to Exodusters

On a lonely, country road in Dunlap, Kan., a monument soars. An engraved stainless steel plaque stretches between two pillars of limestone and marks the family farm of a freed slave. Built by Jack Davis, whose family bought the farm more than a century ago, the monument honors the thousands of African Americans who fled the lower Mississippi Valley for Kansas, seeking a better life. Sometimes called "Exodusters," a derogatory term coined by newspapers of the time, they're former slaves who left the South in 1879 after Reconstruction failed to grant them the benefits of citizenry:... (more)