McKee has worked at various institutions of higher learning as a librarian, historian, and educator. These institutions include
Washington and Lee University (1958–1962),
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (1962–1972), and
Grinnell College (1972–2006). McKee also held the Secretary of the Navy
Research Chair in Naval History at the
Naval Historical Center (1990–1991) and was a NEH fellow at the
Newberry Library (1978–79). ==Awards==