William A. Feilds Explained

William A. Feilds
Office1:Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Term Start1:1885
Term End1:1886
Nationality:American
Party:Republican

William A. Fields (between c. 1846 and 1852  - September 9, 1898) was an American schoolteacher and principal who served one term as a Republican legislator in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1885 to 1886. He was also elected a member of the Shelby County county court, a legislative body, and a justice of the peace.[1] He was born an enslaved person.

The American documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? (2011) revealed that he is the paternal great-great-grandfather of actress, singer and Miss America 1984, Vanessa Williams and of actor Chris Williams and the maternal great-great-great-grandfather of Jillian Hervey.[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: African American Legislators in 19th Century Tennessee: WILLIAM ALEXANDER FEILDS . State of Tennessee . 2015-09-19 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20150724020301/http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/blackhistory/feilds.htm . 2015-07-24.
  2. Web site: Who Do You Think You Are?: Season 2, Episode 1, Vanessa Williams (February, 2011). 2015-12-05. 2011-02-04. Who Do You Think You Are?.