Matthew Henson
1866–1955 · American (Maryland) · Heroic Age of Exploration
Known for: African American explorer who was arguably the first person to reach the North Pole—then spent decades being denied credit because of his race
Henson was an orphan who went to sea at 12, became an expert navigator and dog-sled driver, and was Robert Peary's indispensable partner for 23 years of Arctic exploration. He spoke Inuktitut, built igloos, and drove dog sleds better than any non-Inuit.
On the 1909 North Pole expedition, Henson likely reached the Pole before Peary. Despite this, Peary took full credit and Henson was ignored for decades because of his race. He worked as a parking garage attendant in New York. He was finally recognized with burial at Arlington National Cemetery in 1988.
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