Biography: Disc jockey, radio news director, award-winning journalist, historian, and author. Born – June 29, 1947, Athens, Alabama.  Parents – Robert (Bob) and Marjorie Dunnavant. Education – Athens State College.

An aggressive, hard-charging newsman, Dunnavant was a reporter for The News from 1985 – 1995, covering news and feature stories across the Tennessee Valley. He wrote extensively about the space industry in Huntsville, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the history of the area.

At age 14, he received a radio broadcasting license and served as a disc jockey at radio station WJMW, an AM station in Athens, owned by his grandfather, H.F. Dunnavant, and his father, Robert V. Dunnavant. He worked for several radio stations in Athens, Decatur and Huntsville, and served as morning news director of WAFF in Huntsville.
Dunnavant founded the weekly The Athens Journaland was its editor in 1977 and 1978.

He was a reporter for The Alabama (Athens, AL) Courier/ Athens Limestone Democrat, and also wrote for The Decatur (AL) Daily, The, Huntsville (AL) Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Birmingham Post-Herald before becoming a staff Dunnavant reporter for The Birmingham (AL) News.

Dunnavant held awards from the Associated Press and Huntsville Press Club for reporting, writing and photography. He shared in a National Headliner Award with the staff of The Nashville Tennessean in 1981.
He taught journalism classes at Athens High School and was a consultant for its journalism department.

He was a recognized authority on North Alabama Civil War history.

Died – December 7, 1995.

Source:

Keith Dunnavant and The Birmingham News

Publications(s):

Antique Athens & Limestone County, Alabama:  A Photographic Journey 1809-1949. Pea Ridge Press, 1994.

Decatur Alabama:  Yankee Foothold in Dixie 1861-1865. Pea Ridge Press, 1995.

Historic Limestone County Alabama.  Pea Ridge Press, 1995.

The Railroad War:  Forrest’s 1864 Raid Through Northern Alabama and Middle Tennessee.  Pea Ridge Press, 1994.