Alabama A&M University alumna Michelle Watkins has made history, becoming the first Black woman elected to the Huntsville City Council. Her historic election was celebrated on Monday as she took the Oath of Office in a ceremony surrounded by family, friends, and supporters from her alma mater.

Alabama A&M President Daniel K. Wims, members of the university’s faculty and staff, and students from the Honors Program attended the momentous occasion. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and District 5 Councilmember John Meredith were also at the event and joined her on stage. 

Watkins secured her seat after defeating two-term incumbent Councilman Devyn Keith in a runoff election for the District 1 seat. She proudly addressed the crowd, stating, “Start Here, Go Anywhere. I started at Alabama A&M, I had great professors role models, my mother graduated from Alabama A&M University, so it’s always been my desire to follow what Dr. Councill said, ‘Service is Sovereignty’ and this is service.”

Watkins expressed heartfelt gratitude to her family, friends, and supporters, including her sisters from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., who were present to celebrate her triumph. She said she was eager to start impacting the council and continue her commitment to service.

Watkins’ Impact

A dedicated professional, Watkins is a management & program analyst for the U.S. Army Garrison at Redstone Arsenal. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master’s in Secondary Education from Alabama A&M. Before her election to the city council, she served eight years on the Huntsville City Board of Education, advocating for District 1. Additionally, she has held leadership roles in various community organizations, including the Parent Teacher Student Association at Johnson High School, the Junior League of Huntsville, and the United Way of Madison County.

Looking ahead, Watkins shared her plans for her new role, stating, “I’m going to sit down, find out what’s coming to my district, what are the plans, and move forward with trying to get some things going in the district.” She also emphasized the importance of collaboration with Alabama A&M University, noting, “We’ve got to do some things to make Alabama A&M more visible.”