Dr. Thomas started her work with The Jane Edna Hunter Project in the summer of 2007.  She stumbled upon Hunter's story in an attempt to find a book for students enrolled in her African American Studies class at Clemson University.  After assigning A Nickel and a Prayer as required reading, Dr. Thomas soon became intrigued as to why her edition of the text contained the last chapter "Fireside Musings," and her student's edition of the text did not.  



So it began.



Dr. Thomas submitted a proposal to start a Creative Inquiry program, "which enabled [her] to give a team of undergraduates the opportunity to help conduct archival research for the annotated edition of A Nickel and a Prayer" (Thomas).



Today, Dr. Thomas continues to teach African American Literature and Early American Literature at Clemson University and is still leading the Creative Inquiry team that is currently examining African American Documentary: The Jane Edna Hunter Project.  She remains ever devoted to the preservation and promotion of Jane Edna Hunter's legacy.