William A Feilds

William A. Feilds (between c. 1846 and 1852 – September 9, 1898) was an African-American schoolteacher and principal, born a slave, 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. According to researchers on the American documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? (2011), he is the maternal 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.