What are 3 important facts about Matthew Henson?
- The Henson Glacier (Greenland) was named after him.
- In 2008-2009, a 100th anniversary expedition to the North Pole was undertaken in honour of Henson by Dwayne Fields.
- In October 2020, the previously named Columbus GPS Block III satellite was renamed after the launch as Matthew Henson.
Did Matthew Henson have any siblings?
Matthew Henson has 1 sibling in His family: Eliza Henson. Matthew Henson was an African-American explorer who accompanied the famous American explorer Robert Peary on his 1909 expedition to Greenland and became the first African-American to reach the Geographic North Pole.
How many children does Matthew Henson have?
They had no children. During the extended expeditions to Greenland, Henson and Peary both took Inuit women as " country wives " and fathered children with them. With his concubine, known as Akatingwah, Henson fathered his only child, a son named Anauakaq, born in 1906.
What are some interesting facts about Matthew Henson?
What are some fun facts about Matthew Henson? 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 Matthew Henson do to change the world?
He is best known for his participation in the 1908–1909 expedition that claimed to have reached the geographic North Pole on April 6, 1909. Henson said he was the first of their party to reach the pole. Nanjemoy, Maryland, U.S.
What is the most important fact about Matthew Henson?
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.
What were Matthew Henson's accomplishments?
Matthew Henson was (with Robert Peary) the first man to reach the North Pole. This was an amazing accomplishment for Henson not only to be the first man but also to be the first African-American. Henson did not receive the recognition he deserved until much later in life. Matthew and Peary reached the pole in 1909.
How did Matthew Henson contribute to society?
Matthew Henson was an African American explorer best known as the co-discoverer of the North Pole with Robert Edwin Peary in 1909.
Who discovered the Arctic?
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.
Why is Matthew Henson a hero?
Matthew A. Henson was a Black explorer and one of two Americans in Robert Peary's successful 1909 expedition to the geographic North Pole. He was the only American chosen for the final stretch to the Pole.
Who is the first person to reach North Pole?
explorer Robert E. PearyAnd here was the American explorer Robert E. Peary sending word from Indian Harbour, Labrador, that he had reached the pole in April 1909, one hundred years ago this month.
Who was the first person to the North Pole?
explorer Roald AmundsenThe first consistent, verified, and scientifically convincing attainment of the Pole was on 12 May 1926, by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his US sponsor Lincoln Ellsworth from the airship Norge.
What challenges did Matthew Henson face?
He married twice, and had no children apart from Ahnaukaq Henson, who, in 1987, at the age of 80, achieved his lifetime ambition of visiting the land of his father's birth. Obstacles he faced included ice floes, snowstorms, frostbite and racism: 9.
What drives human exploration?
Humans, unlike other mammals, are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits and then push further.
Who is the famous black American who found and explored the North Pole in 1909?
Matthew Alexander HensonMatthew Alexander Henson, (born August 8, 1866, Charles county, Maryland, U.S.—died March 9, 1955, New York, N.Y.), African American explorer who accompanied Robert E. Peary on most of his expeditions, including that to the North Pole in 1909.
Did Peary actually reach the North Pole?
Peary and his companions purportedly reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909.
What are three facts about Matthew Henson?
Fun Facts About Matthew Henson for Kids Henson learned the survival skills of the Eskimo people. Two of the trips ended poorly. On one trip, the team nearly starved to death. They had to eat some of their sled dogs.
What challenges did Matthew Henson face?
He married twice, and had no children apart from Ahnaukaq Henson, who, in 1987, at the age of 80, achieved his lifetime ambition of visiting the land of his father's birth. Obstacles he faced included ice floes, snowstorms, frostbite and racism: 9.
How old was Matthew Henson when he ran away?
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. When he was twelve years old, he got a job as a cabin boy on a ship.
How did Matthew Henson get to the North Pole?
In 1906 with the support of President Theodore Roosevelt, Peary and Henson managed to get within 174 miles of the North Pole by ship using a state-of-the-art ice breaker. On the three-masted steam-powered schooner called the Roosevelt, Peary and Henson made it closer to the pole than on any expedition to date.
Where was Matthew Henson born?
Early life and education. Henson was born on August 8, 1866 on his parents' farm east of the Potomac River in Charles County, Maryland, to sharecroppers who had been free people of color before the American Civil War. Matthew's parents were subjected to attacks by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups, ...
When was Matthew Henson's dinner?
Entrance of the site of the former Matthew Henson Public Housing Project. On October 19, 1909 , Henson was the guest of honor at a dinner ceremony held by the Colored Citizens of New York, where he was honored by toasts and given a gold watch and chain.
What is the name of the school in Maryland named after Matthew Henson?
Places in Maryland named in Henson's honor include the following: Matthew Henson State Park in Aspen Hill, Matthew Henson Middle School in Pomonkey, and elementary schools named for him in Baltimore and Palmer Park. The Henson Glacier (Greenland) was named after him.
Why did the Henson family move to Georgetown?
To escape from racial violence in southern Maryland, in 1867 the Henson family sold the farm and moved to Georgetown, then still an independent town adjacent to the national capital. He had an older sister S., born in 1864, and two younger sisters Eliza and M. Matthew's mother died when Matthew was seven.
What class is the USNS Henson?
In October 1996, the United States Navy commissioned USNS Henson, a Pathfinder class Oceanographic Survey Ship, named in honor of Matthew Henson.
Who was the first African American to be a member of the Explorers Club?
In 1937 he was the first African American to be made a life member of The Explorers Club; in 1948 he was elevated to the club's highest level of membership. In 1944 Henson was awarded the Peary Polar Expedition Medal, and he was received at the White House by Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower.
Who was the first person to reach the North Pole?
During their 1908–09 expedition to Greenland, Henson was one of the six men – including Peary and four Inuit assistants – who claimed to have been the first to reach the geographic North Pole. In interviews, Henson identified as the first member of the party to reach what they believed was the pole.
Who was Matthew Henson?
Matthew Henson is best known as a black explorer in the early 20th century. He became famous for co-discovering the North Pole with fellow explorer Robert Peary in 1909. Matthew Henson's timeline for expeditions all began after his parent's deaths. At just 12 years old, Henson worked as a cabin boy and learned about navigation.
Family Life
Henson's mother died when he was very young. Henson's father moved Henson and his siblings to Washington D.C. for work opportunities when Henson was four years old. Henson's father died a few years later.
First Man to the North Pole
After the Nicaragua expedition, Matthew Henson accompanied Robert Peary on an expedition to Greenland in 1891. While in Greenland, Henson embraced their culture and learned survival techniques. Peary continued exploring Greenland and traveling around the entire ice cap.
When was Matthew Henson born?
Matthew Alexander Henson was born in Maryland on August 8, 1866. When Henson was only about 13 he went to work on a sailing ship. His ship visited ports across the world. In 1887 Henson became an assistant to Peary.
How many expeditions did Peary and Henson make?
Peary and Henson made seven expeditions to the Arctic. They hoped to be the first people to reach the North Pole. In 1908 they set out on one of their expeditions, though they did not always stay together. On April 6, 1909, Henson arrived alone at what he believed to be the North Pole.
Where was Matthew Henson born?
Childhood & Early Life. Matthew Alexander Henson was born on August 8, 1866, in Maryland. His parents were free people of color who worked as sharecroppers. He had three sisters. His mother died when he was just two and his father remarried and fathered more children.
What did Peary and Henson learn about the Greenland expedition?
On this trip Henson learned about the local Eskimo culture and the natives' Arctic survival skills.
Why was the Peary and Henson mission not completed?
However, the mission could not be completed due to unfavorable conditions. Encouraged by the progress they had made in the 1906 trip, the duo prepared well for their next journey in 1908-09. Peary and Henson were accompanied by 22 Inuit men, 17 Inuit women, 10 children, and 246 dogs on this trip.
What did Matthew the Navigator do?
Matthew became a skilled navigator as a result of these worldwide travelling experiences . Continue Reading Below.
When did the Peary and Henson expedition reach the North Pole?
Finally on April 6, 1909, Peary, Henson, four Eskimos and 40 dogs reached the North Pole. The men were enthusiastically welcomed back home following the success of their expedition though their claim of having reached the North Pole was questioned by many.
Who was the first African American to reach the North Pole?
Matthew Henson was an African-American explorer who accompanied the famous American explorer Robert Peary on his 1909 expedition to Greenland and became the first African-American to reach the Geographic North Pole. Henson and Peary had been on several voyages together but it was the 1909 expedition that earned them worldwide fame ...
Who was the first African American to be accepted into the Explorers Club?
The National Geographic Society awarded the Hubbard Medal to Matthew Henson posthumously in 2000. The medal was presented to Henson 's great-niece Audrey Mebane.
Where is Matthew Henson buried?
After his death in 1955, Matthew Henson was buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in New York, but his and his wife’s bodies were later moved to Arlington National Cemetery after an exception was made by President Ronald Reagan following the request of S. Allen Counter of Harvard University, an expert on Henson’s biography.
How far did Matthew Henson miss the North Pole?
But in 1988, the National Geographic Society determined Peary likely missed the North Pole by 30 to 60 miles.
What was the most famous trip of the Peary and Henson expedition?
Peary and Henson’s most famous trip by far was their 1909 expedition to the Arctic which allegedly ended in their reaching the elusive North Pole, a feat that hundreds of explorers before them had failed to do over the course of three centuries. Some even lost their lives in their attempts.
Did Henson and Peary make it to the North Pole?
However, whether Henson and Peary really did make it all the way to the North Pole was and remains difficult to verify. Unlike the South Pole, the North Pole is a drifting piece of ice. Navigations would point South and with other ice masses present it was impossible to pinpoint the exact location of the North Pole.
Who was the first African American to reach the North Pole?
Getty Images Matthew Henson may have been the first African American to set foot in the North Pole. Matthew Henson led a remarkably adventurous life even before he became one of the first men to reach the North Pole. Henson was born in Maryland on Aug. 8, 1866, a year after the U.S. Civil War had ended.
Who was the first black explorer to reach the North Pole?
Inside The Extraordinary Life Of Matthew Henson, The First Black Explorer To Make It To The North Pole
Was Henson Really The First Man To Reach The North Pole?
Wikimedia Commons The announcement of their North Pole ‘discovery’ was on the front page of The New York Times in 1909.
Overview
Matthew Alexander Henson (August 8, 1866 – March 9, 1955) was an African American explorer who accompanied Robert Peary on seven voyages to the Arctic over a period of nearly 23 years. They spent a total of 18 years on expeditions together. He is best known for his participation in the 1908–1909 expedition that claimed to have reached the geographic North Pole on April 6, 1…
Early life and education
Henson was born on August 8, 1866 on his parents' farm east of the Potomac River in Charles County, Maryland, to sharecroppers who had been free people of color before the American Civil War. Matthew's parents were subjected to attacks by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups, who terrorized southern freedmen and former free people of color after the Civil War.
To escape from racial violence in southern Maryland, in 1867 the Henson family sold th…
Henson was born on August 8, 1866 on his parents' farm east of the Potomac River in Charles County, Maryland, to sharecroppers who had been free people of color before the American Civil War. Matthew's parents were subjected to attacks by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups, who terrorized southern freedmen and former free people of color after the Civil War.
To escape from racial violence in southern Maryland, in 1867 the Henson family sold the farm an…
Exploration
While working at a Washington D.C. clothing store, B.H. Stinemetz and Sons, in November 1887, Henson met Commander Robert E. Peary. Learning of Henson's sea experience, Peary recruited him as an aide for his planned voyage and surveying expedition to Nicaragua, with four other men. Peary supervised 45 engineers on the canal survey in Nicaragua. Impressed with He…
Later life
In 1912 Henson published a memoir about his arctic explorations, A Negro Explorer at the North Pole. In this, he describes himself as a "general assistant, skilled craftsperson, interpreter, and laborer." He later collaborated with author Bradley Robinson on his 1947 biography, Dark Companion, which told more about his life.
Family
Henson married Eva Flint in 1891, but their marriage did not survive their long periods of separation and they divorced in 1897. He later married Lucy Ross in New York City on September 7, 1907. They had no children.
During the extended expeditions to Greenland, Henson and Peary both took Inuit women as "country wives" and fathered children with them. With his concubine, known as Akatingwah, Hen…
Legacy and honors
• On October 19, 1909, Henson was the guest of honor at a dinner ceremony held by the Colored Citizens of New York, where he was honored by toasts and given a gold watch and chain.
• In 1937, The Explorers Club, under its "polar" President Vilhjalmur Stefansson, invited Henson to join its ranks.
Representation in media
• "Matthew Henson, Black Explorer" is part of the series "The Scooby-Doo Gang: Black Explorers" released in 1978 by Hanna-Barbera Educational Filmstrips. Catalog number 52410.
• S. Allen Counter's book, North Pole Legacy: Black, White and Eskimo (1991), discusses the explorations, as well as Peary and Henson's "country wives" (Inuit women) and their part-Inuit descendants, and historical race relations. He made a film documentary by the same name, shown on the Mon…
Notes
1. ^ Deirdre C. Stam, "Introduction to The Explorers Club Edition," Matthew A. Henson's Historic Arctic Journey: The Classic Account of One of the World's Greatest Black Explorers, Globe Pequot, 2009, pp. 3–6
2. ^ Burial Detail: Henson, Matthew A (Section 8, Grave S-15-1) – ANC Explorer