Alabama Town Faces Division Over Haitian Immigrants and Confederate Symbols

In a town in northern Alabama, tensions are rising. A new group in Albertville has emerged, expressing concerns about the state of the city. This concern follows the arrival of Haitian workers at a nearby chicken processing plant.

The group’s worry seems to be rooted in fear. A now-deleted post on their Facebook page, "Concerned About Albertville," claimed, "If they are coming from Haiti, they are gang members or former prisoners." The post suggested that these newcomers might be dangerous.

Many residents of Albertville are upset. At a public hearing on August 13, they voiced their concerns.

“The issue today is the large number of people coming here and what we’re going to do about it,” one woman said. “We need to stop providing housing for them, and that should be our first step.”

Others agreed.

“We have to stop building housing for them,” a man added. “If there’s nowhere for them to live, they won’t come here.”

One man went even further, sharing his negative experiences: “I’ve been to Haiti. It has a smell to it, and these people bring that smell with them. They’re not like us. They don’t want to fit in. They’re not interested in learning about Alabama or our schools.”

The group even began driving around town, reporting any zoning violations they believed immigrants had committed. Their message was clear: “They’re not like us.”

A second public hearing on August 26 was more subdued. Some residents and immigrants tried to ease tensions and find common ground. However, the group’s stance remained firm. They formed a nonprofit to help “Americanize” immigrants, even changing their name to "Concerned About Alabama."

But the problem goes deeper. Albertville, along with Marshall County, displays symbols that reflect their pride. Outside the county courthouse, a Civil War monument, erected in 1996, stands alongside a pristine Confederate flag. This flag, seen by many as a symbol of defiance, is a reminder of a painful past.

The monument, protected by Alabama’s monument preservation laws, is accompanied by a sign warning, “KEEP OUT. Do not cross, climb, or leave articles on the barrier.”

The Confederate flag's history is more about resisting civil rights than the Civil War itself. It was flown during the fight against desegregation, symbolizing the defiance of those who resisted ending slavery.

Alabama is reluctant to let students learn about the divisive history associated with this flag. Yet, counties proudly display it, claiming it as part of their heritage.

In 2020, news stories reported that the Confederate battle flag in Albertville was replaced with a less recognizable flag used during Alabama’s secession. But according to Unique Dunston, founder of the group Reclaiming Our Time, this change was temporary. The battle flag was soon flying again.

“We protested for weeks and months, but nothing changed,” Dunston said.

Instead, the county passed a resolution limiting protests in front of the courthouse. They put up a fence and a warning sign around the monument.

Dunston believes this situation highlights how deeply rooted white supremacy is in Albertville. “As recently as the early ‘90s, Albertville was 98% white. So, it’s hard for the local white people to think differently,” she said.

The town’s population has changed as immigrants came to work in jobs that many locals didn’t want. Today, about 13% of the city’s residents are foreign-born.

“We saw the same pushback when the Hispanic community started coming in,” Dunston explained. “Now, we’re seeing it again with the Haitian community.”

This reaction is disappointing, especially since there had been signs of progress. After George Floyd’s death in 2020, hundreds gathered in Albertville to acknowledge the injustice and show unity. But that progress was quickly overshadowed by backlash.

Change happens quickly, but sometimes it feels like nothing changes at all.

Looking back on Alabama’s history, one might wonder what drove white mobs to protest against children trying to go to school in places like Birmingham. How did they feel when they saw their faces in the newspaper, angry and spitting?

This serves as a reminder.

In today’s world, it has become more acceptable to embrace xenophobic ideas and symbols of white supremacy. This trend isn’t just happening in Albertville, but across the world.

But trends don’t last forever. Be careful with the words you choose—they might leave a lasting mark.