author
James I. Robertson
b. 1930
A beloved Civil War historian and teacher, he spent decades bringing the people and events of the war to life for general readers as well as students. His work is especially remembered for its depth, clarity, and lasting influence on the study of Stonewall Jackson and the wider era.
1 Audiobook
The Civil War
by James I. Robertson
About the author
James I. "Bud" Robertson Jr. was an American historian best known for his scholarship on the Civil War. Born on July 18, 1930, in Danville, Virginia, he became one of the field's most recognizable public historians and later taught for many years at Virginia Tech, where he was an Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History.
Before and during his academic career, Robertson also played a major role in Civil War remembrance and interpretation. He served as executive director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission and worked on the national observance of the war's 100th anniversary. At Virginia Tech, his Civil War course drew unusually large enrollments and helped make him a widely admired classroom teacher.
Robertson wrote and edited numerous books on the Civil War era, including a major biography of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson that became especially well known. He died on November 2, 2019, but his writing and teaching continue to shape how many readers first encounter the history of the Civil War.