Richard Parker is the vice-president of the Jackson Purchase Historical Society and has authored several articles and book reviews that have been published in the Journal of the Jackson Purchase Historical Society. In 2019, the Jackson Purchase Historical Society won a Kentucky History Award for volunteer organization of the year. Parker's most recent contribution to the society's Journal won the 2019 Dr. Lonnie E. Maness Award for the most outstanding article. The 2019 Journal was awarded a Kentucky History Award in November 2020. Parker is a speaker for the Kentucky Humanities Council. He and his wife, Emily, co-own Atomic City Tours, a company focused on providing historical walking tours in downtown Paducah.

He lives in Paducah, Kentucky, with his wife and their two children, Ellis and Sullivan.