Henson, Matthew Alexander (1866-1955), was an African American explorer of the Arctic. The expedition of Henson and Robert E. Peary is generally credited with discovering the North Pole in 1909.
Henson was born on a small farm in Charles County, Maryland, on Aug. 8, 1866. At the age of 12 or 13, he became a cabin boy on a merchant ship. When he was 18, he put ashore and began working at various jobs on the East Coast.
In 1887, Peary hired Henson to help him survey a canal route across Nicaragua. From 1891 to 1906, Henson and Peary were partners on several Arctic expeditions but failed to reach the North Pole. In 1908, they began another attempt. The expedition included several support teams, but when the party neared the pole, Peary chose the experienced Henson and four Inuit to make the final dash. Some historians believe that Henson and two Inuit were the first to reach the pole. But Peary said that Henson miscalculated the location of the pole and that he—Peary—was actually the first to reach it. Peary received credit for the discovery.
During his lifetime, Henson received little recognition for his achievements. He died in obscurity on March 9, 1955. In 1988, however, Henson’s remains were moved to Arlington National Cemetery and reburied with full military honors. Henson now lies next to Peary, honored as co-discoverer of the North Pole.
