Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A leading historian of the United States' greatest internal conflict will be special guest April 10 for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Golden Triangle Civil War Round Table.
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A community organization of some 40 members, the scholarly discussion group was created in 1987 by MSU employees Mike Ballard, John F. Marszalek, Duffy Neubauer, and William Parrish.
Robertson heads the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies and holds the academic rank of Alumni Distinguished Professor at the Blacksburg institution. The Virginia native continues to teach the largest history class at a U.S. institution of higher learning--his Civil War course averages some 250 students each semester.
Robertson has received every major honor given in the field of Civil War history. "Soldiers Blue and Gray" (1989), "General A.P. Hill" (1992), "Civil War! America Becomes One Nation" (1992), and "Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend" (1998) are among his award-winning books.
In addition to his many writings, the 1959 Emory University doctoral graduate has been featured prominently on Civil War programs of the History and Arts & Entertainment channels, as well as public television.
In founding the Golden Triangle Civil War Round Table, the four MSU employees were continuing their professional and personal interests in the mid-19th century conflict between North and South that continues to resonate throughout America.
Ballard, also an award-winning author of Civil War histories, is Mississippi State's archivist and coordinator of the Congressional and Political Research Center at the university's Mitchell Memorial Library.
Marszalek and Parrish now are emeriti members of the history department. Marszalek, a Pulitzer Prize-nominee for his biography of Union general William T. Sherman, continues to serve the university as director and mentor of its distinguished scholars program. Parrish, former history department head, is a recognized authority on the Civil War in Missouri.
Neubauer, a senior Humphrey Coliseum administrator, is a nationally recognized authority on antique U.S. artillery. He also is an active participant in national Civil War reenactments and founder of a local artillery reenactment group.
Prior to Robertson's free public address, the organization is sponsoring a celebration dinner to begin at 6 p.m. in the adjacent Bost Center auditorium. General admission tickets are $12 each and should be ordered in advance by Saturday [March 31].
For additional information or to make reservations, telephone 662-323-2493 or 325-7680.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.