Sid Williams

Williams was born on March 24, 1942, in Shreveport, Louisiana, and grew up in Houston, Texas. He attended and played high school football at Wheatley High School, graduating in 1959.{{cite web |author=Our Campaigns |title= Williams, Sidney |accessdate=July 1, 2018 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=116807}}

Williams attended and played college football at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Later, he earned a master's degree at Pepperdine University.{{Cite web|work=BlackPast.org|url=http://www.blackpast.org/aaw/williams-sidney-1942|title=Williams, Sidney (1942- )|date=26 January 2015|accessdate=2015-06-22}}

Williams was drafted in the 16th round (222nd overall) of the 1964 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns, where he played from 1964 to 1966, and was a member of the 1964 NFL Champion Browns team. After a contract dispute with the Browns in 1967,{{Cite web|work=Chicago Tribune|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1967/08/08/#page/44/article/browns-trade-williams-as-holdout-ends|title=Browns Trade Williams as Holdout Ends|date=August 8, 1967|accessdate=2015-06-22}} he was traded to the New York Giants in 1967 for a draft selection, but was released a few weeks later.{{cite book| last = Parrish| first = Bernie| title = They Call It a Game: Shoulders the NFL Stands on| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Oexm5hj7QPMC&q=%22sid+williams%22+browns+trade+redskins&pg=RA1-PT91| date = October 1, 2000| publisher = Authors Choice Press| isbn = 978-0-59513-076-4 }} Williams was then signed by the Washington Redskins, where he played in 1967. He also played for the Baltimore Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On June 4, 1967, along with several other Black athletes and one Black political leader, Williams participated in what is now known as the "Cleveland Summit" or the "Muhammad Ali Summit" in Cleveland, Ohio, followed by a press conference, to express support for Muhammad Ali, who was to stand trial for refusing to submit to the military draft.{{Cite web|work=Cleveland.com|url=http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2012/06/stars_at_the_muhammad_ali_summ.html|title=Stars at the Muhammad Ali summit: Where are they now?|date=June 3, 2012|accessdate=2015-06-22}}

Williams was employed as a sales representative at Mercedes-Benz Hollywood, Inc. in Hollywood, California, from 1979 to 1994.{{Cite web|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-02-06-me-19843-story.html|title=Sidney Williams' Unusual Route to Ambassador Post|date=February 6, 1994|accessdate=2019-05-12}}

Williams worked as a business developer with the Black Economic Union in Los Angeles, California, and served as a legislative aide for Los Angeles City Councilman David S. Cunningham Jr. He then served as the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas under the Clinton Administration from 1994 to 1998.{{Cite web|work=Cleveland.com|url=http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/12/cleveland_browns_1964_champion_15.html|title=Cleveland Browns 1964 championship season: Where are they now?|date=December 31, 2014|accessdate=2015-06-22}}

Williams is the husband of Representative Maxine Waters, who represents {{ushr|CA|43}}.{{cite web| last =Murphy| first =Patricia| title =Rep. Maxine Waters: Yank the NFL's Antitrust Exemption| work =Politics Daily| url =http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/28/bruce-editing-rep-maxine-waters-congress-should-yank-nfls-an/| access-date =2015-01-12| archive-date =2009-10-30| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20091030012024/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/28/bruce-editing-rep-maxine-waters-congress-should-yank-nfls-an/| url-status =dead}}

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{{succession box|title=United States Ambassador to Bahamas|before=John S. Ford|after=Arthur Louis Schechter|years=1994–1998}}

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Category:1942 births

Category:Living people

Category:Players of American football from Shreveport, Louisiana

Category:American football linebackers

Category:Southern Jaguars football players

Category:Cleveland Browns players

Category:Washington Redskins players

Category:Baltimore Colts players

Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players

Category:Ambassadors of the United States to the Bahamas