Museum of the Confederacy honors Dr. James I. Robertson Jr
RICHMOND, Va. – The Museum of the Confederacy presented its Virginius Dabney Award to Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr., May 15, 2013, in a ceremony at the Hanover Tavern, Hanover, Virginia. The Virginius Dabney Award honors work that has the greatest impact on the public’s understanding of the Confederacy and the American Civil War. The award was created to commemorate the lifetime work of Virginius Dabney, Pulitzer Prize-winning editor and historian.
Dr. Robertson is a Distinguished Alumni Professor Emeritus at Virginia Tech. He was Executive Director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission and worked with Presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson in marking the war’s 100th anniversary. Prior to his retirement, Robertson’s Civil War Era course at Virginia Tech, which attracted 300 students per semester, was the largest of its kind in the nation.
The Danville, VA, native is the author or editor of more than 20 books that include such award-winning studies as Civil War! America Becomes One Nation, General A.P. Hill, and Soldiers Blue and Gray. His biography of Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson won eight national awards and was used as the basis for the Ted Turner/Warner Bros. movie, “Gods and Generals”. Robertson was chief historical consultant for the film.
The recipient of every major award given in the Civil War field, and a lecturer of national acclaim, Dr. Robertson received his Ph.D. from Emory University as well as honorary doctorates from Randolph-Macon College and Shenandoah University. He was the Executive Director of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, which he created at Virginia Tech in 1999.
Robertson is also a charter member (by Senate appointment) of Virginia’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.
In his presentation, Waite Rawls, President of the Museum, said Dr. Robertson, “… has devoted his life to helping all of us know more and understand better the events of 150 years ago and their importance to us today.”
The Museum of the Confederacy is a private, nonprofit educational institution. The Museum and White House are located in downtown Richmond in the historic Court End neighborhood, in addition to its new location in Appomattox. The Museum owns the world’s largest collection of artifacts and documents related to the Confederate States of America.
The Museum of the Confederacy is located at 1201 East Clay Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Tel. 855-649-1861. Visit them online at www.moc.org.
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