James I . Robertson , Jr . Dr . James I . " Bud " Robertson , Jr . , is a noted scholar on the American Civil War and Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Virginia Tech . Early life and academic career . Robertson was born and raised in Danville , Virginia . He earned his bachelor ' s degree at Randolph - Macon College in 1955 , and his master ' s degree and PhD . at Emory University in 1956 and 1959 , respectively . He earned his Litt . D . at Randolph - Macon in 1980 . Virginia Tech . Known as an excellent public speaker , Robertson has made his career teaching thousands of college students in his Civil War and Reconstruction course at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , in Blacksburg , Virginia , as the Alumni Distinguished Professor in History from 1967 to 2011 . Civil War achievements . Robertson is the founding executive director of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies research and education center . He is considered the preeminent scholar on Confederate Lieutenant General Thomas J . " Stonewall " Jackson . Robertson was the Chief Historical Consultant in the 2003 Warner Brothers film " Gods and Generals " , which prominently features Stonewall Jackson . Robertson is also a former member of the Board of Trustees at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond , Virginia . Robertson has authored 18 books including award - winners " General A . P . Hill " , " Soldiers Blue and Gray " , and " Civil War ! America Becomes One Nation " . His biography " Stonewall Jackson : The Man , The Soldier , The Legend " , won eight national awards including the American Library Association ' s Best Book for Young Readers Award . Robertson also edited an additional 18 books on the Civil War . In 1961 , President John F . Kennedy nominated Robertson to serve as the executive director of the U . S . Civil War Centennial Commission , a federal committee that was foundering under the pressures of regional differences and the emerging civil rights movement , unable to organize a dignified commemoration of the war era . Robertson worked effectively with 34 state and 100 local centennial committees to create a successful result . Fifty years later , he was named a charter member of the Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission . In 1963 he worked with David Mearns , director of the Library of Congress , to assist in the planning of Kennedy ' s funeral by researching the funeral of Abraham Lincoln , after which Kennedy ' s was patterned . Robertson and Mearns referenced " Frank Leslie ' s Weekly " and " Harper ' s Weekly " for details of the 1865 funeral that were used to transform the East Room of the White House . In 2011 , Robertson wrote and hosted , with William C . ‘ Jack ’ Davis , the 3 - hour documentary " Virginia in the Civil War : A Sesquicentennial Remembrance " . Robertson Award . Since 2000 , Robertson has also sponsored an award in his name honoring scholarship in the field of Confederate history . Athletics . Along with his distinguished career in the academic community , he also spent several years as a faculty representative from Virginia Tech to the NCAA . Robertson ' s work as Faculty Chairman of Athletics and President of the Virginia Tech Athletic Association from 1979 – 91 helped Virginia Tech join the Big East athletic conference . Robertson was elected to the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 . His other main contribution to college athletics was by being an Atlantic Coast Conference football referee for 16 years . Selected works . Notable among Robertson ' s long list of publications are :