A journalist and political historian, Robert Mann holds the Manship Chair at the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University and is director of the school's Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs. He teaches courses in political communication and is currently researching the history of U.S. war propaganda. He is also editor of the Media & Public Affairs book series, published jointly by the Manship School and LSU Press.

Previously, Mann was communications director to Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. Mann also served for 19 years as a U.S. Senate aide. He was state director to U.S. Senator John Breaux of Louisiana, and served as Breaux's press secretary. He has also served as press secretary to U.S. Senator Russell Long of Louisiana. He was also press secretary for the 1990 re-election campaign of U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston of Louisiana, and the 2003 Blanco campaign.

He has published six books, including critically acclaimed political histories of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. His essays and reviews have appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, the Boston Globe. He has also appeared as a political analyst on numerous television and radio programs, including C-SPAN's "Book TV," MSNBC's "Daily Rundown" and "Jansing & Company" and NPR's "Talk of the Nation."