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African American explorer Matthew Henson had been traveling with Robert E. Peary and his team in the arctic by dog sled for weeks. The temperature was almost sixty degrees below zero. After years of trying to reach the North Pole, would their quest end because of frigid conditions? And who would receive acclaim for being the first person to accomplish such a difficult goal? Henson was born not long after the Civil War, when life in the United States, especially for African Americans, was changing quickly. As a young man, he toured the world while working on a boat, where he experienced freedom and kindness from the captain, but faced racism from crew members as well as other people on shore. After leaving seafaring behind, Henson was to meet Lieutenant Robert E. Peary, a man who would alter the course of his life forever. He would accompany Peary on dangerous, exciting expeditions to Nicaragua, Northern Greenland, and finally the perilous North Pole. Book jacket.
A Negro Explorer At The North Pole. A Negro Explorer At The North Pole [1912]. By Matthew A. Henson.Introduction by Booker T. Washington. Forward presented by Robert E. Peary."In short, Matthew Henson, next to Commander Peary, held and still holds the place of honor in the history of the expedition that finally located the position of the Pole, because he was the best man for the place. During twenty-three years of faithful service, he had made himself indispensable. From the position of a servant, he rose to that of companion and assistant in one of the most dangerous and difficult tasks that was ever undertaken by men. In extremity, when both the danger and the difficulty were greatest, the Commander wanted by his side the man upon whose skill and loyalty he could put the most absolute dependence and when that man turned out to be black instead of white. The Commander was not only willing to accept the service, but was at the same time generous enough to acknowledge it.
In an era when segregation thrived and Jim Crow reigned supreme, adventurer Matthew A. Henson defied racial stereotypes. During his teenage years, Henson sailed on vessels that journeyed across the globe, and it is those experiences that caught the attention of famed arctic explorer Matthew Peary. Operating as Peary’s “first man” on six expeditions that spanned over a quarter of century, Henson was an essential member of all of Peary’s most famous expeditions. His unparalleled skills as a craftsman and his mastery of the dialects of native Northern peoples, Henson was indispensable to the success of these missions. Of all voyages which Henson and Peary undertook, none is more groundb...
This book unfolds 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 Henson's seamanship on that voyage, Peary recruited him as a colleague and he became "first man" in his expeditions. After that, for more than 20 years, their expeditions were to the Arctic.
Biography of a man who reached the North Pole with Peary in 1909.
Introduces Matthew Henson, the African American explorer who accompanied Robert Peary on the first successful expedition to the North Pole in 1909.
Details the life of Matthew Henson, one of the first people to reach the North Pole.
The Shelf2Life Mountaineering Collection provides a unique glimpse into the history and evolution of mountaineering through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From historical maps, first-hand accounts of early summits, descriptions of peaks and wilderness areas to detailed mountaineering proofs, enthusiasts can now experience the thrill of the greatest peaks as they were in the early part of the century. Further, in-depth discussions of traditional equipment, technique and routes are a fascinating study in the evolution of the sport. Given the recent explosion of interest in mountaineering, these books are an excellent opportunity to revisit the roots and origins of the sport: they offer a valuable historical perspective as well as important information about the landscape and geography of the past.
Follows the life of the black explorer who accompanied Robert Peary on the expedition to the North Pole.
A biography of the black explorer who, together with Robert E. Peary, discovered the North Pole in 1909