The Headman Statue

The Headman Statue

Richmond, Virginia

23219

The Headman Statue is a bronze sculpture located on Brown’s Island along the Canal Walk, which symbolizes the immense role African Americans played in the antebellum development of Richmond’s manufacturing, commerce, economy, and culture.  Created By Paul DiPasquale in the 1980’s, this statue is a source of recognition for African Americans in Richmond’s past.  The statue depicts an African-American man, or headman, navigating a boat along the canal.  This work, although not from the antebellum period, does represent an important aspect of the city’s antebellum development and expansion, paying necessary homage to the experience of African-Americans during this period.  Guests can see this sculpture hear the footbridge of Belle Isle on the Canal Walk.