Draft:Devon Henry

Henry's work included the removal of statues of A.P. Hill{{Cite news |last=Blair |first=Tannock |date=Dec 14, 2022 |title='If not us then who?': Contractor in A.P. Hill statue removal tells his story |url=https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/if-not-us-then-who-contractor-in-a-p-hill-statue-removal-tells-his-story/ |access-date=2025-05-05 |work=WRIC |pages=1}}, General Stonewall Jackson and General Robert E. Lee from Richmond’s Monument Avenue {{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Ned |date=2023-01-04 |title=The man who took down Richmond's Confederate monuments |url=https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/01/04/richmond-confederate-monuments-devon-henry |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Axios |language=en}}. The removal of the Lee statue, in particular, garnered national {{Cite web |last=Press |first=Associated |date=2021-09-08 |title=Virginia cuts Confederate Gen. Robert Lee statue into pieces |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/08/statue-confederate-robert-e-lee-510422 |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=POLITICO |language=en}} and international coverage{{Cite web |last=Seisdedos |first=Iker |date=2023-02-05 |title=Richmond took down its racist statues. But now, the city doesn't know what to do with them |url=https://english.elpais.com/usa/2023-02-05/richmond-took-down-its-racist-statues-but-now-nobody-knows-what-to-do-with-them.html |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=EL PAÍS English |language=en-us}} and was described as a symbolic turning point {{Cite web |last=News |first=A. B. C. |title=Virginia removes 12-ton Robert E. Lee statue from Richmond's Monument Avenue |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/virginia-remove-12-ton-robert-lee-statue-state/story?id=79862294 |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-05-05 |title=Photos of Robert E. Lee statue throughout time |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/photos-of-robert-e-lee-statue-throughout-time |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Culture |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Patel |first=Vimal |date=2021-09-02 |title=Virginia Supreme Court Clears Path for Removal of Robert E. Lee Statue |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/02/us/robert-e-lee-statue-removal-virginia.html |access-date=2025-05-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} in the public reckoning with Confederate iconography, highlighted by American Society of Landscape Architects {{Cite web |title=ASLA Announces 2023 Honors Recipients {{!}} asla.org |url=https://www.asla.org/2023Honors.aspx#Devon_Henry |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=www.asla.org}}.

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 {{Cite news |last1=Spencer |first1=Hawes |last2=Levenson |first2=Michael |date=2021-07-09 |title=Charlottesville Removes Robert E. Lee Statue at Center of White Nationalist Rally |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/us/charlottesville-confederate-monuments-lee.html |access-date=2025-05-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}. His company was also responsible for removing the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery in 2023 {{Cite news |last1=Heim |first1=Joe |last2=Schneider |first2=Gregory S. |date=2023-12-20 |title=Confederate statue at Arlington comes down after legal battle |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/20/confederate-statue-removal-arlington-cemetery/ |access-date=2025-05-05 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}.

The removals were praised by advocates of racial justice {{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Ned |date=2020-07-02 |title='I've been wanting to see this all my life.' Celebration in Richmond as Confederate memorials come down. • Virginia Mercury |url=https://virginiamercury.com/2020/07/01/ive-been-wanting-to-see-this-all-my-life-celebration-in-richmond-as-confederate-memorials-come-down/ |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Virginia Mercury |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-13 |title=Commemorating the Dismantling of Confederate Monuments |url=https://theurbannews.com/business/2023/commemorating-the-dismantling-of-confederate-monuments/ |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=The Urban News |language=en-US}}, though they also drew criticism and threats {{Cite web |last=Forester |first=Thomas |date=2022-05-02 |title=Death threats against Virginia company hired to remove Confederate Statues continues |url=https://mycbs4.com/news/local/death-threats-against-virginia-company-hired-to-remove-confederate-statues-continues |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=WGFL |language=en}} from those who opposed the actions. File:Devon_Henry_removing_the_AP_Hill_Confederate_Memorial.jpg

Henry’s role in the statue removals has been featured in major news outlets often highlighting the personal risks involved in the work {{Cite web |date=2020-10-26 |title=Black contractor braves threats in removing Richmond statues |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-contractor-braves-threats-removing-richmond-statues-n1244772 |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=NBC News |language=en}} and the logistical complexity of removing large and historically sensitive monuments{{Cite news |last=Seisdedos |first=Iker |date=2023-02-28 |title=A US city took down its racist statues. Where do they go next? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/27/the-statue-graveyard-where-torn-down-confederate-monuments-lie |access-date=2025-05-05 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}. He has been noted for taking on projects that other contractors declined due to safety concerns or political sensitivities{{Cite web |date=2022-07-29 |title=Contractor who removed the Confederate statues said if he didn't step up, he worried no one would |url=https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/contractor-who-removed-confederate-monuments-shares-story-july-29-2022 |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR |language=en}}.

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