A racist letter targeting Huntsville City Councilwoman Michelle Watkins has drawn widespread condemnation from city officials and civil rights leaders, who are calling for accountability and denouncing the act as an assault on basic human dignity.
Watkins, the first Black woman elected to represent North Huntsville’s District 1, posted a photo of the letter to social media on June 13. The note, handwritten with glaring grammatical errors, appeared penned by a second grader and contained a single sentence laced with racial slurs and insults about her appearance.
The envelope, postmarked June 9, was addressed to “Michelle Watkins” on the sixth floor of Huntsville’s City Council office at Fountain Circle, but the letter itself did not refer to her by name and included no return address.
“Dear,
Please to try not acting like a dumb [n-word] in front of the camera! Fix your nappy head!” the letter states before signing off with, “Thanks, Tennessee Valley.”
Watkins responded on social media with a pointed caption: “Is my hair nappy? I received this today through the mail at the City of Huntsville.”
Mayor Tommy Battle released a statement shortly afterward condemning the letter and standing in solidarity with Watkins.
“I saw the malicious attack on Council Member Michelle Watkins, and it makes me mad,” Battle said. “I condemn and detest this kind of attack. Our community is much better than what that message reflects. The City denounces this incident in the strongest terms. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”
The Huntsville-Madison County NAACP Branch #5034 also issued a forceful statement, calling the letter a hate-filled act and a reminder of the ongoing threat of racism.
“The Huntsville-Madison County NAACP Branch unequivocally condemns the vile and racist letter recently sent to Councilwoman Michelle Watkins,” the group said. “This act of hatred is not only a personal attack on a dedicated public servant, but also an assault on the values of equity, justice, and dignity that we, as a society, must uphold.”
“We stand in full solidarity with Councilwoman Watkins and affirm her right to serve her community free from threats, intimidation, and racism in any form. No one—especially an elected official working to uplift and represent her constituents—should be subjected to such hateful rhetoric.”
The organization also called on authorities to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable, while urging community members to speak out against hate and work toward a more inclusive society.
“This incident is a stark reminder that racism remains a persistent threat in our communities, and it must be confronted with courage and unity,” the NAACP’s statement continued. “The Huntsville-Madison County NAACP Branch remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting civil rights and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of race, can live and lead without fear.”
As of now, the sender of the letter has not been identified.
