About Betsy Thorpe
Betsy Thorpe studied folklore and ethnic anthropology at the University of Oregon and is a scholar of early 20th Century Southern culture and history. She is a member of the Nashville Historic, Inc, the Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society, and Power Together Tennessee. Betsy is also part of the national criminal justice reform organization REFORM Alliance and is an active honorary member of the International Society of Women Educators, Delta Kappa Gamma.
In 2011 and 2012, and again in 2016 and 2017 Betsy was selected by the Nashville Public Library for a special honor. She received use of the Eskind Family Writing Room, one of the library’s four individual writer’s rooms, giving her a private, dedicated space of her own in which to write and work for the entire year. This has been her favorite accomplishment so far.
Betsy works part time as a legal research assistant. She conducts research for a small criminal defense law firm that serves some of the most vulnerable and underrepresented populations in rural Tennessee. Additionally, Betsy speaks regularly in her role as an author and historian for high school and college classes, book clubs, senior living homes, college alumni groups, civic groups, women's clubs, church groups, libraries, museums, and offers walking tours of historical locations. In her activism, she participates in political rallies, campaign events, and fundraisers.
The Day the Whistles Cried was Betsy's first full-length book. She is currently writing her second book, Trouble on Happy Hill, a work of non-fiction based on a historic Tennessee Supreme Court case.
Betsy also contributes to a family blog called "Tales of Our Family." Check it out at: www.talesofourfamily.org
In 2011 and 2012, and again in 2016 and 2017 Betsy was selected by the Nashville Public Library for a special honor. She received use of the Eskind Family Writing Room, one of the library’s four individual writer’s rooms, giving her a private, dedicated space of her own in which to write and work for the entire year. This has been her favorite accomplishment so far.
Betsy works part time as a legal research assistant. She conducts research for a small criminal defense law firm that serves some of the most vulnerable and underrepresented populations in rural Tennessee. Additionally, Betsy speaks regularly in her role as an author and historian for high school and college classes, book clubs, senior living homes, college alumni groups, civic groups, women's clubs, church groups, libraries, museums, and offers walking tours of historical locations. In her activism, she participates in political rallies, campaign events, and fundraisers.
The Day the Whistles Cried was Betsy's first full-length book. She is currently writing her second book, Trouble on Happy Hill, a work of non-fiction based on a historic Tennessee Supreme Court case.
Betsy also contributes to a family blog called "Tales of Our Family." Check it out at: www.talesofourfamily.org