[3] After graduating from Detroit Central High School in 1968, Watson attended the University of Michigan, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and was later recognized as a "Distinguished Alumnus"[4][3] and, in 1996, given the "Leonard F. Sain Esteemed Alumni Award".

", Dr. Raymond Winbush's 2003 publication on reparations,[10] and wrote the foreword to Herb Boyd's 2017 book, Black Detroit: A People's History of Self Determination.

[9] In 2003, Watson filed to run in a Special Election called to fill a vacancy on the Detroit City Council, which was created when Councilwoman Brenda Scott died on September 2, 2002.

[7] During Watson's tenure on City Council, her staff included future Michigan State Legislator Coleman Young II, who interned in her office.

In December of that year, a celebration of her career was held at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, where Dick Gregory again was the headliner.