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Draft:Devon Henry

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  • Comment: Promotional content needs to be removed. Biographies should present facts not promote the people concerned. Paul W (talk) 17:26, 31 July 2024 (UTC)




Devon M. Henry
The Robert E Lee Confederate Memorial after statue removed
Alma materNorfolk State University
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, Activist
Known forRemoval of over 24 confederate monuments

Devon M. Henry is an American activist [1] and entrepreneur, known for his role in the removal of Confederate monuments across the southern United States following the 2020 murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests including in Richmond against racial injustice. He gained national attention for leading the dismantling of over two dozen Confederate statues, including prominent removals in Richmond, Virginia, and Charlottesville, Virginia[2]. His work has been widely covered in national media for its cultural [3], political, and historical implications. Henry received death threats, and his work became the subject of an FBI investigation due to the threats[4].

Confederate Monument Removals

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Henry's work included the removal of statues of A.P. Hill[5], General Stonewall Jackson and General Robert E. Lee from Richmond’s Monument Avenue [6]. The removal of the Lee statue, in particular, garnered national [7] and international coverage[8] and was described as a symbolic turning point [9][10][11] in the public reckoning with Confederate iconography, highlighted by American Society of Landscape Architects [12].

In 2021, Henry’s company also removed the statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, which had become a flashpoint following the 2017 Unite the Right rally [13]. His company was also responsible for removing the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery in 2023 [14].

The removals were praised by advocates of racial justice [15][16], though they also drew criticism and threats [17] from those who opposed the actions.

Devon Henry removing the AP Hill Confederate Memorial in Richmond, Virginia

Media Coverage and Public Attention

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Henry’s role in the statue removals has been featured in major news outlets often highlighting the personal risks involved in the work [18] and the logistical complexity of removing large and historically sensitive monuments[19]. He has been noted for taking on projects that other contractors declined due to safety concerns or political sensitivities[20].

References

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  1. ^ Schneider, Gregory S.; Vozzella, Laura; Armus, Teo (2023-01-02). "White contractors wouldn't remove Confederate statues. So a Black man did it". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  2. ^ Stevens, Matt (2022-04-17). "For a Black Man Hired to Undo a Confederate Legacy, It Has Not Been Easy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  3. ^ Major, Derek (2022-05-02). "A Different Kind of Hard Work: Devon Henry Has Removed 23 Confederate Monuments". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  4. ^ "Black contractor braves threats in removing Richmond statues". AP News. 2020-10-25. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  5. ^ Blair, Tannock (Dec 14, 2022). "'If not us then who?': Contractor in A.P. Hill statue removal tells his story". WRIC. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  6. ^ Oliver, Ned (2023-01-04). "The man who took down Richmond's Confederate monuments". Axios. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  7. ^ Press, Associated (2021-09-08). "Virginia cuts Confederate Gen. Robert Lee statue into pieces". POLITICO. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  8. ^ Seisdedos, Iker (2023-02-05). "Richmond took down its racist statues. But now, the city doesn't know what to do with them". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  9. ^ News, A. B. C. "Virginia removes 12-ton Robert E. Lee statue from Richmond's Monument Avenue". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-05-05. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ "Photos of Robert E. Lee statue throughout time". Culture. 2025-05-05. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  11. ^ Patel, Vimal (2021-09-02). "Virginia Supreme Court Clears Path for Removal of Robert E. Lee Statue". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  12. ^ "ASLA Announces 2023 Honors Recipients | asla.org". www.asla.org. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  13. ^ Spencer, Hawes; Levenson, Michael (2021-07-09). "Charlottesville Removes Robert E. Lee Statue at Center of White Nationalist Rally". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  14. ^ Heim, Joe; Schneider, Gregory S. (2023-12-20). "Confederate statue at Arlington comes down after legal battle". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  15. ^ Oliver, Ned (2020-07-02). "'I've been wanting to see this all my life.' Celebration in Richmond as Confederate memorials come down. • Virginia Mercury". Virginia Mercury. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  16. ^ "Commemorating the Dismantling of Confederate Monuments". The Urban News. 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  17. ^ Forester, Thomas (2022-05-02). "Death threats against Virginia company hired to remove Confederate Statues continues". WGFL. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  18. ^ "Black contractor braves threats in removing Richmond statues". NBC News. 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  19. ^ Seisdedos, Iker (2023-02-28). "A US city took down its racist statues. Where do they go next?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  20. ^ "Contractor who removed the Confederate statues said if he didn't step up, he worried no one would". CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR. 2022-07-29. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
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