Dr. Thomas Flagel is an associate professor of History at Columbia State Community College in Franklin, Tennessee. He holds degrees from Loras College (B.A. History), Kansas State University (M.A., European History), Creighton University (M.A., International Relations), MTSU (Ph.D.m Public History) and has studied at the University of Vienna.

A national speaker, particularly on the Civil War, he also serves on several historic preservation boards and has worked with the Library of Congress and the National Park Service,

Originally from the Midwest, he has also lived in Austria and the Czech Republic. Among his ancestors are several American Civil War veterans, including a great, great, great grandfather from the 2nd Iowa Volunteer Infantry.