Anne Hardy Thurman was born in Lexington, Indiana, on May 11, 1919. She received both her B.S. (1940) and M.A. (1963) degrees from Northwestern University.
During the periods 1940–1942 and 1956–1963 Thurman taught in the Evanston, Illinois public schools. She served on the faculty of New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, from 1942 to 1946. Thurman took an active and varied role over many years in the promotion of drama in Evanston schools and in the Children's Theatre of Evanston.
Thurman lectured part-time at Northwestern in 1968–1969 and joined the regular faculty in 1971 as an associate professor of dramatic production. She attained the rank of professor in 1975. Thurman retired in 1985 and was appointed professor emeritus of theatre.
The Children's Theatre Association of America presented its Creative Drama for Human Awareness Award to Thurman in 1978.
From the guide to the Anne H. Thurman (1919-) Papers, 1925-1987, (Northwestern University Archives)
