White contractors wouldn’t remove Confederate statues. So a Black man did it.
Devon Henry stepped in to remove almost all of Richmond's Confederate statues after White contractors refused. It changed his life.
Hasnain says:
The amount of racism still abound in the states is stunning and frankly depressing. This was a bittersweet but ultimately heartwarming read about how some of these injustices were righted (a little bit) and how one brave man stepped up - and brought others along to help.
“He didn’t seek the job. He had never paid much attention to Civil War history. City and state officials said they turned to Team Henry Enterprises after a long list of bigger contractors — all White-owned — said they wanted no part of taking down Confederate statues.
�For a Black man to step in carried enormous risk. Henry concealed the name of his company for a time and long shunned media interviews. He has endured death threats, seen employees walk away and been told by others in the industry that his future is ruined. He started wearing a bulletproof vest on job sites and got a permit to carry a concealed firearm for protection.”