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NEMCC dedicates Don Lee Keith Reading Room & Conference Center in the Eula Dees Memorial Library

by Michael H. Miller

BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- (08/19/2025) — Northeast Mississippi Community College officially dedicated the Don Lee Keith Reading Room & Conference Center in the Eula Dees Memorial Library on Tuesday, August 12.

Northeast's newest facility - made possible by a $115,000 gift from the estate of the late Teresa A. Neaves - provides a dedicated space for studying, collaboration and idea exchange for students and employees.

Northeast's ribbon-cutting ceremony honored both the legacy of award-winning journalist and Northeast alumnus Don Lee Keith and Neaves' generosity.

Designed as both a cozy reading nook and a modern meeting area, the reading room and conference center along with the area around the room reflects Northeast's commitment to fostering curiosity, creativity, and innovation.

Northeast's Don Lee Keith Reading Room & Conference Center features examples of Keith's work, his studio chair from New Orleans, and personal artifacts, including a book signed by playwright Tennessee Williams, his two Alex Waller Memorial Awards - the Press Club of New Orleans' top prize for journalistic excellence and a desk from Keith's study.

Keith's 1971 interview with Williams ended the playwright's eight-year silence with the media.

A centerpiece of the room is a large conference table crafted from an oak tree native to the New Orleans area. Keith's name is engraved on one corner and Neaves' on the other, symbolically keeping the lifelong friends together in the space.

While the Don Lee Keith Reading Room & Conference Center is a cornerstone to the Eula Dees Memorial Library, it helped bring renovations to the facility with new lighting in the area around the conference room and new areas for employees and students to use with a 3-D printer, a GlowForge and two large format Silhouette Vinyl machines .

Neaves, a 1969 Northeast graduate, law librarian, and freelance writer, dedicated her career to expanding access to information and promoting lifelong learning.

She and Keith were professional colleagues and best friends. Upon Keith's death in 2003, Neaves was named executrix of his estate and worked to preserve his legacy.

Their friendship began when Neaves, after reading one of Keith's articles, sent him a letter correcting his grammar. That exchange sparked a bond that lasted decades.

In addition to funding the Reading Room, Neaves and Keith's friends established the Don Lee Keith Memorial Scholarship with a $25,000 endowment through the Northeast Development Foundation and Alumni Association, providing a scholarship to students in need.

About Don Lee Keith

Keith was born in Wheeler, Mississippi, and graduated from Booneville High School before coming on board with Northeast, where he wrote for student newspaper The Beacon and yearbook The Torch.

Keith transferred to The University of Mississippi, serving as managing editor of The Daily Mississippian, before beginning a legendary journalism career at New Orleans' Times-Picayune.

Keith's work spanned hard news to political scandal, natural disasters, and the arts, earning him two Alex Waller Memorial Awards -- the Press Club of New Orleans' top prize for journalistic excellence.

His work appeared in Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and dozens of other publications, and his 1971 interview with Tennessee Williams brought an end to the playwright's eight-year media silence.

Beyond his bylines, Keith mentored scores of writers as Journalist-in-Residence at the University of New Orleans, where his "ruthlessly charming" style and uncompromising dedication to craft became legend in the eyes of students and faculty.

Keith passed away in 2003, leaving behind a legacy defined by strong storytelling and a steadfast commitment to the power of words.

About Teresa A. Neaves

A native of north Mississippi, Neaves earned her Associate of Arts from Northeast in 1969, her bachelor's degree from Blue Mountain College in 1971, and her master's in English from the University of Mississippi in 1973.

Neaves was a law librarian for 40 years in north Mississippi and New Orleans and was a freelance writer.

Outside of her career, she was interested in genealogy and local history, serving as registrar for the Mary Stuart Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and president of the Saltillo Historical Committee.

Neaves passed away on August 26, 2023, at age 73, due to COVID-19.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

Media Attachments

Northeast Mississippi Community College officially dedicated the Don Lee Keith Reading Room & Conference Center in the Eula Dees Memorial Library on Tuesday, August 12. Northeast’s newest facility – made possible by a $115,000 gift from the estate of the late Teresa A. Neaves – provides a dedicated space for studying, collaboration and idea exchange for students and employees. Northeast’s ribbon-cutting ceremony honored both the legacy of award-winning journalist and Northeast alumnus Don Lee Keith and Neaves’ generosity. Designed as both a cozy reading nook and a modern meeting area, the reading room and conference center along with the area around the room reflects Northeast’s commitment to fostering curiosity, creativity, and innovation.

Northeast Mississippi Community College President Dr. Ricky G. Ford speaks at the dedication of the Don Lee Keith Reading Room & Conference Center in the Eula Dees Memorial Library on Tuesday, August 12. Northeast’s newest facility – made possible by a $115,000 gift from the estate of the late Teresa A. Neaves – provides a dedicated space for studying, collaboration and idea exchange for students and employees.

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