Title: Author and Historian
Location: Potomac, Maryland, United States
Robert C. Plumb, author and historian, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Artists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in historical nonfiction.
Following a career in marketing that lasted more than 35 years, Mr. Plumb has reinvented himself over the last 20 years. His professional life started as a marketing executive at General Electric Company in 1969, where he managed the organization’s contract with the federal government. During this time, Mr. Plumb collaborated with the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and played a pivotal part in promoting an understanding of alcoholism and its treatment to the public throughout the 1970s. In 1997, he took on a senior marketing manager position with Fannie Mae, where he created resources to help empower underserved populations to navigate the process of becoming a homeowner.
Upon retiring from Fannie Mae in 2005, Mr. Plumb chose to pursue a completely different field. Driven by a passion for studying history, he began writing nonfiction books and articles. Mr. Plumb’s first book, “Your Brother in Arms: A Union Soldier’s Odyssey,” was published in 2011 and follows the story of a single soldier through the Civil War. He also explored the Civil War in 2020’s “The Better Angels: Five Women Who Changed Civil War America,” which presents biographies of Clara Barton, Sarah Josepha Hale, Julia Ward Howe, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Harriet Tubman. Additionally, Mr. Plumb has given nearly 100 presentations based on his research for both books. In 2021, he published an article on the life of Revolutionary War-era General Richard Montgomery through the Montgomery County Historical Society.
Before venturing onto his initial vocational path, Mr. Plumb sought a strong academic foundation. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University at Buffalo in 1964. Subsequently, Mr. Plumb earned a Master of Arts in journalism from Syracuse University in 1969. Although he didn’t seek a career in the field immediately, his interest in history was encouraged by one of his undergraduate professors who had a reputation for turning historical facts into compelling stories. Mr. Plumb was inspired by this teacher when he chose to begin researching and writing history later in life. He also points to his journalism training, growth from his time in marketing, and his four years of military service in the United States Navy as key factors in his success.
Ms. Plumb has been a member of several important organizations relevant to his field. He remains active with the Montgomery County Historical Society, the Society of Civil War Historians, The Civil War Round Table of the District of Columbia, the Montgomery County Civil War Round Table and the Izaak Walton League of America. Mr. Plumb is also listed with the Speakers Bureau for Montgomery County, Maryland, a platform connecting him with organizations and events seeking speakers well-versed in history.
Beyond his work as a historian and writer, Mr. Plumb is also a devoted husband and father to one child. When he’s not researching, he enjoys fly fishing. Looking ahead, Mr. Plumb is currently in the process of finishing his first book of fiction, with hopes of publishing it in the near future. He hopes to continue educating others on history through speaking engagements and also aims to adapt his first book of nonfiction into a play.
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