William Edwards III

William H. Edwards III (born c. 1945, died March 21, 2015) was the first Black U. S. Marshal for the Northern District of Alabama.

Edwards played football at Parker High School and was childhood friends with Ona Watson.

Edwards graduated from Tuskegee University in 1968 with a degree in physical education and health sciences. He had also been a water safety instructor and was a trained scuba diver. His first job after college was as a physical education teacher at Green Acres Elementary School in Midfield. He was there less than a month when he was drafted into the U.S. Army.

After the Army, he began his career with the marshal's service, and was appointed U. S. Marshal in 1994 by President Bill Clinton, after being recommended by U.S. Senators Howell Heflin and Richard Shelby.

After his retirement in 2001, he helped his mother Myrtle Lee Tinsley run her rental office on 18th Street in Homewood.

References

• Garrison, Greg (April 19, 2015) "First black U.S. Marshal for Northern District of Alabama rose up the ranks."