Kees, Beverly (1941-2004)
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Beverly Kees Papers (C4025) Collection Number: C4025 Collection Title: Beverly Kees Papers Dates: 1941-2004 Creator: Kees, Beverly, 1941-2004 Abstract: The papers of Beverly Kees, a journalist, editor, and journalism instructor in Minneapolis, North Dakota, Indiana, and California; the first female executive editor at a Knight- Ridder newspaper; and editor and programs director for the Freedom Forum Pacific Coast Center. The collection contains both personal and professional material, including office files, clippings, editorials, correspondence, photographs, reports, resources, and handbooks. Collection Size: 27.75 cubic feet, 2 oversize volumes, 1 video cassette (954 folders) Language: Collection materials are in English. Repository: The State Historical Society of Missouri Restrictions on Access: Collection is open for research. This collection is available at The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Columbia. If you would like more information, please contact us at [email protected]. Collections may be viewed at any research center. Restrictions on Use: The donor has given and assigned to the University all rights of copyright, which the donor has in the Materials and in such of the Donor’s works as may be found among any collections of Materials received by the University from others. Preferred Citation: [Specific item; box number; folder number] Beverly Kees Papers (C4025); The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Columbia [after first mention may be abbreviated to SHSMO-Columbia]. Donor Information: The papers were donated to the University of Missouri by Gretchen Tselos West on September 18, 2005 (Accession No. CA6091). Processed by: Processed by Elizabeth Engel on November 13, 2008. Finding aid revised by Elizabeth Engel on August 12, 2021. (C4025) Beverly Kees Papers Page 2 Biographical Note: Beverly Ann Kees was born in Minneapolis on June 4, 1941 to Burton and Dorothy Kees. After she graduated from Edison High School in Minneapolis in 1959, Kees attended the University of Minnesota, where she received a B.A. in Journalism in 1963. Kees worked at the Minnesota Daily all four years she was at college and during her senior year she was editor-in-chief of the newspaper. In 1963, Kees landed her first job at the Minneapolis Star, where she was a feature reporter, the editor of special sections, and the editor and creator of “Taste,” the newspaper’s award-winning food section. For a short time in 1973, she worked as a research planning analyst for the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company. By the end of 1973, Kees had been promoted to assistant to the editor at the Minneapolis Tribune. She would eventually become the newspaper’s assistant managing editor. During the 1970s, Kees also wrote and co-authored several cookbooks, including Basic Breads Around the World, Wonderful Ways with Chicken, and Fondue on the Menu. When Kees took a position at the Grand Forks Herald in 1981, she became the first female executive editor at a Knight-Ridder newspaper. Kees left the Herald in 1984 to become the editor of the Gary (IN) Post-Tribune, a position she held until 1988 when she moved to California to become the executive editor of the Fresno Bee. After leaving the Fresno Bee in 1993, Kees spent a year as a visiting professional scholar at the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Her work there with Bill Phillips resulted in the publication of Nothing Sacred: Journalism, Politics, and Public Trust in a Tell-all Age. When the year-long project ended, Kees moved to San Francisco and took a position as editor and programs director at the Freedom Forum Pacific Coast Center, a regional office of a national nonpartisan foundation promoting free press and free speech. When the branch closed at the end of 2000, Kees continued working for the Freedom Forum from home until 2002. She also went on to do freelance work editing reports for journalistic organizations and teaching at San Francisco State University. Kees died in San Francisco on December 10, 2004 after she was struck by a semi-truck while walking her neighbor’s dog. Arrangement: The collection has been arranged into the following ten series along with one subseries: Office Files Freedom Forum Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company Grand Forks Herald Gary (IN) Post-Tribune Fresno Bee Freedom Forum Professional Resources and Subject Files Go to top (C4025) Beverly Kees Papers Page 3 Personal Photographs Scope and Content Note: The Beverly Kees Papers are comprised largely of professional material relating to her work as a journalist and executive editor, as well as aspects of her personal life. While most of the material in the collection was either loose or housed in sheet protectors without a clear order, some of the material was organized in folders. The material from these folders has become the Office Files series and has not been mixed with the rest of the material in the collection. In retaining this original organizational structure, the content of some of the office files overlaps intellectually with material in other series. The office files document a number of professional organizations and activities in which Kees was involved, as well her teaching at San Francisco State University. The “History” folders mostly contain material concerning various aspects of Kees’ professional life. Some of the office files concern events or programs hosted jointly by different journalistic organizations in conjunction with the Freedom Forum. The Freedom Forum subseries contains office files primarily pertaining to Kees’ employment with the Freedom Forum Pacific Coast Center. Much of the material documents conferences and events hosted at the Freedom Forum, including the Author Series, which brought in a variety of authors to discuss their books. Many of the conference files contain transcripts of sessions which were recovered from computer files. This subseries also includes material concerning the Freedom Forum’s Newseum in Washington, D.C., which Kees helped plan. The Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company series includes correspondence, articles, and “Taste” section material and cookbooks, as well as other material relevant to Kees’ work for both the Minneapolis Star and the Minneapolis Tribune. The Grand Forks Herald series consists of correspondence, editorials, articles, and monthly reports, along with other material relating to Kees’ work as executive editor of the newspaper. The Gary (IN) Post-Tribune series contains correspondence, editorials, and monthly reports, as well as a variety of other material concerning Kees’ stint as editor of the newspaper. The Fresno Bee series consists of material relating to Kees’ employment as executive editor at the newspaper, and includes correspondence, newsletters, literacy projects, geography publications, and planning materials, among other miscellaneous material. The Freedom Forum series chiefly contains material concerning Kees’ work as editor and programs director at the Pacific Coast Center. A small portion documents her time as a visiting scholar at the First Amendment Center and planning the Freedom Forum’s Newseum in Washington, D.C. The Professional series includes correspondence, articles, speeches, and teaching materials. Also reflected in this series is Kees’ involvement in a number of journalism organizations such as the Associated Press Managing Editors, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the International Press Institute. Other material in this series documents her involvement in writing reports on newsroom training and diversity for the Knight Foundation and the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Go to top (C4025) Beverly Kees Papers Page 4 Communication, respectively. This series also contains material concerning Knight-Ridder Newspapers and McClatchy Newspapers, publishers of newspapers for which Kees worked. The Resources and Subject Files series contains a number of resources collected by Kees concerning journalistic matters such as training, editing, and diversity. Some of the subject files in this series relate to individuals Kees knew personally and these files largely consist of correspondence along with other material such as articles and published speeches. The Personal series includes correspondence, event programs, travel information, and educational materials. This series also documents Kees’ participation in a variety of civic and volunteer activities. The Photographs series contains both personal and professional photographs. Many have been grouped by subject. The remainder have been grouped by decade. Container List: Office Files Series f. 1 Associated Collegiate Press, 1998 f. 2-3 American Press Institute, 1995, 2000 f. 4 Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism planning session, 2004 f. 5 Criminal Justice Journalists, 1998 f. 6 University of South Dakota workshop, 1998 f. 7 University of Hawaii symposium, 1999 f. 8 Independent Press Association, 1999-2000 f. 9 International Press Institute World Congress, Taiwan, 1999 f. 10-11 Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS), 1996-1997 f. 12 Western Knight Center for Specialized Journalism, 2002 f. 13 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, 2000 f. 14-16 Leadership San Ramon Valley, 1998-2000 f. 17 Pew report advisory committee, 1997-1998 f. 18 Santa Rosa discussions, 2002 f. 19 Crazy Horse/Second Annual Native American Newspaper Career Conference, 2001 f. 20 Society of Professional Journalists convention,