Born in 1881 in Ashland, Kentucky, Jean Thomas defied many social conventions throughout her life, and the world is a richer place for it. In the 1890s, she decided to attend business school and shortly afterwards she became a court reporter. She traveled around Kentucky for her job, and along the way she became quite enamored of the musical traditions across the state. Later in life, she would go on to stage the American Folk Song Festival from 1930 to 1972. Thomas was also a photographer, and this delightful digital collection from the University of Louisville Libraries contains over 1000 of her photographs. Visitors can read an extended biography of Thomas, and then browse or search the collection at their leisure. Some of the subjects covered here include the American Folk Song Festival, live performances, and rural landscapes.