William Colbert Keady

William Colbert Keady (April 2, 1913 – June 16, 1989) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. Keady is best-known for his role in the landmark court case, Gates v. Collier. Early life William Colbert Keady was born on April 2, 1913, in Greensville, Mississippi. His parents were Mary Augusta and Michael John Keady. William was the youngest of five children and born with a severe physical handicap; his right arm was extremely deformed with no right forearm and hand. However, Keady learned to adapt, often playing tennis with his friend, William Alexander Percy, and collecting stamps in his free time. Percy was a planter, poet, and attorney. Keady attended Greenville High School. His mother died on his sixteenth birthday, and his father died roughly two years later. Despite these losses, Keady persevered and decided to further his education. Education and career