Matthew Henson may have been the first person to stand at the North Pole. He reached the Pole as a member of an expedition to the Arctic led by the explorer Robert E. Peary in 1909. Matthew Alexander Henson was born in Maryland on August 8, 1866.
What did Henson face growing up in Washington DC?
But Henson probably didn’t hear much about the Arctic while growing up in Washington, D.C. By the time Henson was 13, his parents had both died. As a Black American, he faced terrible racism.
Why did Matthew Henson run from home?
Both of his parents died when he was young. Henson then had to live with various family members in Washington D.C. Henson was not happy with his living situation and ran away from home when he was eleven years old. He moved in with a neighbor woman who took pity on him and took care of him.
What happened Matthew Henson?
The explorer died in New York City in 1955 at the age of 89 and was buried in the city. In 1988, Henson was re-interred in Arlington National Cemetery near Peary’s monument. Many members from his American family and his Inuit family (children he produced with his Inuit “wife” Anauakaq) were in attendance.
How did Matthew Henson impact society?
An African-American of the first generation to roam the world after the abolition of slavery, Henson led a singular life of exploration and discovery that would usher in the modern era of adventure that continues now through the 21st century.
What made Matthew Henson famous?
Matthew Henson was an African American explorer best known as the co-discoverer of the North Pole with Robert Edwin Peary in 1909.
What did Matthew Henson do in the North Pole?
On April 6, 1909, U.S. citizens Matthew Alexander Henson and Robert Edwin Peary, and four Inuit assistants, became the first human beings to set foot on the North Pole. Henson and Peary had been attempting to reach the Pole for the past 18 years.
Who was the first black Explorer?
Matthew Henson was one of the era’s few African-American explorers, and he may have been the first man, black or white, to reach the North Pole. His grueling adventures alongside U.S. Navy engineer Robert E. Peary are chronicled in these dramatic early photos. Henson was born in 1866, on August 8.
What is a quote from Matthew Henson?
Matthew Henson Quotes and Sayings – Page 1
The path is not easy, the climbing is rugged and hard, but the glory at the end is worthwhile.” “It’ll work, if God, wind, leads, ice, snow, and all the hells of this damned frozen land are willing.” “I think I’m the first man to sit on top of the world.”
Who actually discovered the North Pole?
On April 6, 1909, American explorer Robert Peary accomplishes a long elusive dream, when he, assistant Matthew Henson and four Inuits reach what they determine to be the North Pole.
What is Matthew Henson Legacy?
Henson Life and Contribution as an Arctic Explorer
Born in Maryland in 1866 at the sunset of the era of active slavery in America, Henson’s character, courage, and talent led him down a path that no one could have foreseen: to the “top of the world” and into history as one of the world’s great Arctic explorers.
Why is Matthew Henson a hero?
To this day, experts argue about when the north pole was first reached, and by whom, but it is generally acknowledged that in 1909 Matt Henson was the first American to come close. His achievement was all the more remarkable since Henson was a black man born only a year after the abolition of slavery.
