Back in Time Today
History books often credit Robert Peary as the first person to reach the North Pole in 1909, but a remarkable Black explorer named Matthew Henson might have actually beaten him to it. As Peary’s essential companion for over two decades, Henson developed extraordinary Arctic survival skills that made their expeditions possible. His incredible story of courage, determination, and resilience in the face of racial prejudice deserves to be widely known.
1. From Orphan to Sailor
Matthew Alexander Henson’s journey began with hardship. Born to free Black parents in Maryland in 1866, just after the Civil War ended, young Matthew faced tragedy early when both parents died before his eighth birthday.
Rather than accept a life of limitations, the resourceful 12-year-old boy left home to work as a cabin boy aboard the merchant ship Katie Hines. The ship’s captain, Captain Childs, took Henson under his wing.
During his six years at sea, Henson visited five continents, learned to read and write, and developed the seafaring skills that would later prove crucial for Arctic exploration.
2. Fateful Meeting at a Hat Shop
Sometimes destiny hinges on chance encounters. In 1887, a 21-year-old Henson was working at a Washington D.C. hat shop when customer Lieutenant Robert Peary walked in. Their brief conversation revealed Henson’s extensive seafaring experience.
Impressed by the young man’s knowledge and capabilities, Peary immediately offered him a job as his personal valet for an upcoming expedition to Nicaragua. Henson accepted without hesitation, eager for adventure.
This seemingly random meeting launched a 22-year partnership that would take them to the harshest environments on Earth and ultimately to the top of the world.
3. Arctic Survival Mastermind
While Peary commanded their expeditions, Henson became the true master of Arctic survival. He quickly learned the Inuit language, becoming fluent enough to serve as the expedition’s translator and building deep relationships with local communities.
His skilled hands could construct an igloo in just 60 minutes—providing crucial shelter during blizzards when temperatures plummeted to -50°F. Henson also became an expert dog-sled driver, often leading the team across treacherous ice fields.
Even Peary acknowledged this superiority, writing: “Henson was of more real value to me than the combined services of all my fellow countrymen.”
4. Seven Journeys Into the White Unknown
The frigid Arctic became Henson’s second home during seven grueling expeditions with Peary between 1891 and 1909. Each journey pushed human endurance to its limits—facing months of perpetual darkness, temperatures cold enough to freeze exposed skin instantly, and the constant threat of starvation.
During their 1895 expedition, they came within 200 miles of the Pole before being forced to turn back. Their 1901 attempt brought them even closer, reaching 83°N latitude.
With each failed attempt, Henson’s determination only grew stronger. His resilience through frostbite, hunger, and exhaustion demonstrated remarkable physical and mental fortitude few humans have ever matched.
5. The Final Push to Glory
April 6, 1909 marked the culmination of decades of struggle. The final assault team consisted of Henson, Peary, and four Inuit guides—Ootah, Egingwah, Seegloo, and Ooqueah. Peary, suffering from severe frostbite, couldn’t walk well and rode on a sled.
Henson broke trail ahead, navigating treacherous pressure ridges and open water leads. The men endured temperatures of -45°F while racing against dwindling supplies and the shifting ice beneath them.
By Henson’s own account, he accidentally overshot their target and had to double back—making him technically the first person to reach the North Pole’s vicinity.
6. First Footprints at the Top of the World
“I think I’m the first man to sit on top of the world.” These words, spoken by Henson after the expedition, hint at a historical truth long overlooked. As the team’s lead navigator that day, Henson’s dog sled arrived first at what their calculations indicated was 90° North—the geographic North Pole.
Henson planted the American flag into the ice, a moment of triumph decades in the making. When Peary arrived approximately 45 minutes later, witnesses reported he seemed displeased at not being first.
The exact sequence remains debated, but mounting evidence suggests Henson’s boots were indeed the first to stand at the northernmost point on Earth.
7. Return to Racial Reality
The triumphant explorers returned to a segregated America where racial prejudice overshadowed Henson’s achievements. While Peary received medals, speaking engagements, and a comfortable pension, Henson found himself largely ignored by the press and scientific community.
The New York Times barely mentioned Henson in their coverage. Most exploration societies refused him membership based solely on his race. The stark contrast between Arctic meritocracy and American segregation must have been jarring.
To support himself, Henson took a modest job as a customs clerk at the federal customs house in New York, where he worked for nearly three decades after standing on top of the world.
8. The Forgotten Explorer Finds His Voice
In 1912, Henson broke significant ground by publishing “A Negro Explorer at the North Pole”—one of the earliest firsthand Arctic accounts by a Black author. The book provided detailed observations of Inuit culture and Arctic survival techniques that remain valuable to anthropologists today.
Former President Theodore Roosevelt wrote the foreword, lending credibility to Henson’s account. “I was in the lead that had overshot the mark a couple of miles,” Henson wrote, subtly asserting his primary role in the discovery.
Though not a bestseller at the time, the memoir preserved Henson’s perspective for future generations and stands as a crucial document in both exploration and African American literary history.
9. Belated Recognition in His Lifetime
Justice moves slowly, but it eventually arrived for Henson. In 1937, at age 70, he was finally admitted to the prestigious Explorers Club in New York—28 years after reaching the Pole. The crowd gave him a standing ovation as the first Black member in the club’s history.
President Eisenhower welcomed Henson to the White House in 1954, acknowledging his contributions to American exploration. That same year, he received a special medal from Congress commemorating his polar achievement.
These honors came late in Henson’s life but provided some measure of the recognition he had long deserved. His patient dignity throughout decades of being overlooked makes these moments even more poignant.
10. Final Resting Place Among Heroes
Matthew Henson died on March 9, 1955, at age 88 in the Bronx, New York. Initially, he was buried in a modest grave at Woodlawn Cemetery—a quiet end for a man who had stood at the top of the world.
But history wasn’t finished with Matthew Henson. In 1988, President Reagan approved the reinterment of Henson’s remains at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. His new grave sits near Robert Peary’s—two explorers finally resting as equals.
The ceremony included a Navy honor guard and military band, while S. Allen Counter, the Harvard professor who championed this recognition, declared: “We’re righting a tragic wrong.”
11. Respected by the Inuit People
Among the Inuit of Greenland, Henson earned the name “Mahri-Pahluk” meaning “Matthew the Kind One.” Unlike many Western explorers who viewed indigenous people as inferior, Henson approached the Inuit with genuine respect and curiosity.
He learned their language fluently, adopted their survival techniques, and formed deep friendships within their communities. During the long Arctic winters, Henson would often live among Inuit families, embracing their customs and traditions.
Henson fathered a son, Anaukaq, with an Inuit woman named Akatingwah. Their descendants still live in Greenland today, carrying the bloodline of the man who conquered the North Pole.
12. A Legacy Preserved Through Education
Modern educational initiatives have worked to restore Henson’s rightful place in history. The Matthew Henson Earth Conservation Center in Washington, D.C. provides environmental education to urban youth, connecting his legacy to contemporary issues.
Maryland’s Matthew Henson State Park preserves 100 acres of natural habitat as a living tribute to the explorer. Several schools across America now bear his name, including Matthew Henson Elementary School in his birth state of Maryland.
A crater on the moon was named after him in 1970—a fitting honor for a man who reached one of Earth’s most inaccessible points. These educational efforts ensure new generations will know his remarkable story.
13. Literary and Media Resurrection
Recent years have seen a flowering of books, films, and media celebrating Henson’s achievements. Bradley Robinson’s 1967 biography “Dark Companion” first brought renewed attention to Henson’s story, portraying him as the expedition’s true technical leader.
S. Allen Counter’s 1991 book “North Pole Legacy” traced Henson’s Inuit descendants, adding a personal dimension to the historical account. The 2006 documentary “North Pole Promise” featured interviews with Henson’s and Peary’s Inuit descendants meeting for the first time.
In 2021, Harvard professor Danielle Allen published “Navigating the North Pole,” a groundbreaking analysis of Henson’s navigational calculations that strongly supports his claim of reaching the Pole first.
14. Scientific Contributions Often Overlooked
Beyond his physical feat of reaching the Pole, Henson made significant scientific contributions that rarely receive attention. His detailed weather observations during Arctic expeditions provided valuable data about polar climate patterns that scientists still reference today.
Henson meticulously collected geological specimens throughout his journeys, including rare meteorite fragments that later proved valuable for scientific study. The Smithsonian Institution holds several of these samples in their collection.
His observations of Arctic wildlife, particularly polar bear migration patterns and narwhal behavior, were among the earliest systematic studies of these species. Modern biologists consider his field notes remarkably accurate for their time.
15. Posthumous Honors Continue to Grow
The 21st century has brought a wave of posthumous recognition for Henson. In 2000, the National Geographic Society awarded him their prestigious Hubbard Medal—the same honor Peary received in 1906 but that Henson was denied due to his race.
The U.S. Navy christened the USNS Matthew Henson in 2016, a state-of-the-art oceanographic survey ship. In 2020, Google celebrated Henson with a Google Doodle on the anniversary of his Arctic achievements, introducing his story to millions worldwide.
The Maryland State Legislature established Matthew Henson Day (April 6) in 2003 to commemorate the date he likely became the first person to reach the North Pole.