Frozen Dreams

    Henson was born in 1866. At the time, most people didn’t travel far from home. One place that was impossible to reach was the North Pole. It’s the most northern point on Earth.

    The North Pole sits right in the middle of the icy Arctic Ocean. The closest land is a huge island called Greenland—more than 400 miles away. In the Arctic, the weather is colder and stormier than almost anywhere on the planet. Hundreds of brave explorers have died trying to get there.

    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.

    At 13, Henson was hired as a cabin boy on a ship. It was an awful job, but he got to sail around the world. He learned to read and became a skilled sailor and carpenter. 

    Henson returned to Washington, D.C., at age 18. The best job he could find was in a hat store. One day, a man named Robert Peary came in to shop. He was preparing for an expedition to Central America. Peary needed a valet, or assistant. And Henson got the job.

    Henson was born in 1866. Back then, most people didn’t travel far from home. One place that was impossible to reach was the North Pole. It’s the most northern point on Earth.

    The North Pole sits in the middle of the icy Arctic Ocean. The closest land is a huge island called Greenland—more than 400 miles away. In the Arctic, the weather is very cold and stormy. Hundreds of explorers have died trying to get there.

    But Henson probably didn’t hear much about the Arctic as a kid. He grew up in Washington, D.C. By the time he was 13, his parents had died. As a Black American, he faced terrible racism.

    At 13, Henson was hired as a cabin boy on a ship. It was an awful job, but he got to sail around the world. He learned to read and became a skilled sailor and carpenter.

    Henson returned to Washington, D.C., at age 18. The best job he could find was in a hat store. One day, a man named Robert Peary came in. He was preparing for an expedition to Central America. Peary needed a valet, or assistant. Henson got the job.

    Henson was born in 1866. At that time, it was rare for people to travel far from home. One place that was impossible to reach was the North Pole—the most northern point on Earth.

    The North Pole sits right in the middle of the icy Arctic Ocean. The closest piece of land, a huge island called Greenland, is more than 400 miles away. In the Arctic, the weather is colder and stormier than almost anywhere on the planet. Hundreds of courageous explorers have died trying to get there.

    But Henson probably didn’t hear much about the Arctic while growing up in Washington, D.C. By the time Henson was 13, both of his parents had died. As a Black American, he faced terrible racism.

    At 13, Henson was hired as a cabin boy on a ship. It was an awful job, but he got to sail around the world. He learned to read and became a skilled sailor and carpenter.

    When Henson returned to Washington, D.C., at age 18, the best job he could find was in a hat store. One day, a man named Robert Peary came in to shop. He was preparing for an expedition to Central America. Peary needed a valet, or assistant—and Henson got the job.

    Henson and Peary set sail for Greenland in June 1891. One month later, they finally came ashore. They had made it to the Arctic! But they were still more than 700 miles from the North Pole. 

    To get there, they would need help. The Inuit are the Native people in parts of Northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska. They were experts in Arctic survival. Peary hired Inuit women to sew them fur clothing and shoes.

    During this time, Henson made friends with the Inuit they met. Unlike Peary, Henson learned their language. He joined their celebrations. Henson’s Inuit friends taught him how to hunt and ice fish. They taught him how to drive a dogsled. Few other American or European explorers had these kinds of skills.

    Henson and Peary set sail for Greenland in June 1891. A month later, they came ashore. They had made it to the Arctic! But they were still more than 700 miles from the North Pole.

    To get there, they would need help. The Inuit are the Native people in parts of Northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska. They were experts in Arctic survival. Peary hired Inuit women to sew them fur clothes and shoes.

    Henson made friends with the Inuit they met. Unlike Peary, he learned their language. He joined their celebrations. His Inuit friends taught him to hunt and ice fish. They taught him to drive a dogsled. Few American or European explorers had these skills.

    Henson and Peary set sail for Greenland in June 1891 and came ashore a month later. They had made it to the Arctic! But they were still more than 700 miles from the North Pole.

    To get there, they would need help. The Inuit—the Native people in parts of Northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska—were experts in Arctic survival. Peary hired Inuit women to sew them fur clothing and shoes.

    During this time, Henson made friends with the Inuit they met. Unlike Peary, Henson learned their language. He joined their celebrations. Henson’s Inuit friends taught him how to hunt, ice fish, and drive a dogsled. Few other American or European explorers had these kinds of skills.

    In the coming years, Peary and Henson would make five more trips to the Arctic. They faced many challenges. They got lost in blinding blizzards. At times, they almost starved.

    Through these journeys, Peary became famous. Newspapers ran stories about his bravery. Henson was rarely mentioned.

    Yet Henson was still determined to get to the North Pole. And in 1909—on their seventh trip to the Arctic—it seemed their dream was about to come true. On April 3, Henson was leading the way along with four Inuit men: Seegloo, Egingwah, Ooqueah, and Ootah. They were about 150 miles away from the North Pole. 

    Then disaster struck.

    Peary and Henson made five more trips to the Arctic. They faced many challenges. They got lost in blinding blizzards. At times, they almost starved.

    Peary became famous. Newspapers ran stories about his bravery. Henson was rarely mentioned.

    Still, Henson was determined to reach the North Pole. And in 1909, on their seventh trip to the Arctic, it seemed their dream was about to come true. On April 3, Henson was leading the way along with four Inuit men.

    They believed they were about 150 miles from the North Pole. Then disaster struck.

    Henson fell into the ocean.

    In the coming years, Peary and Henson would make five more trips to the Arctic. They faced many challenges. They got lost in blinding blizzards, and they sometimes came close to starving.

    Through these journeys, Peary became famous. Newspapers ran stories about his bravery. Henson was rarely mentioned.

    Yet Henson was still determined to get to the North Pole—and in 1909, on their seventh trip to the Arctic, it seemed their dream was about to come true. On April 3, Henson was leading the way along with four Inuit men: Seegloo, Egingwah, Ooqueah, and Ootah.

    They believed they were about 150 miles away from the North Pole. Then disaster struck.

    Henson slipped and fell into the Arctic.

    In the coming decades, Henson lived a quiet life in New York City with his wife, Lucy. His niece, Olive Henson Fulton, once told classmates that her uncle Matthew was a famous Arctic explorer. Her teacher punished her for lying. 

    But by the time Henson died in 1955, America was changing. Black Americans were fighting for equal rights. Their accomplishments began to rise out of history’s shadows.

    In 1988, Matthew Henson’s body was moved to Arlington National Cemetery. It’s the burial ground of many of America’s heroes. 

The gravestone there says: 

    Matthew Alexander Henson 
    Co-Discoverer of the North Pole. 

    Later, Henson lived in New York City with his wife, Lucy. His niece, Olive, once told classmates that her uncle was a famous explorer. Her teacher punished her for lying.

    But by the time Henson died in 1955, America was changing. Black people were fighting for equal rights. Their accomplishments began to rise out of history’s shadows.

    In 1988, Matthew Henson’s body was moved to Arlington National Cemetery. Many of America’s heroes are buried there.

    His gravestone says: Matthew Alexander Henson Co-Discoverer of the North Pole.

    In the following decades, Henson lived a quiet life in New York City with his wife, Lucy. His niece, Olive Henson Fulton, once told classmates that her uncle Matthew was a famous Arctic explorer. Her teacher punished her for lying.

    But by the time Matthew Henson died in 1955, America was changing. Black Americans were fighting for equal rights, and their accomplishments were beginning to rise out of history’s shadows.

    In 1988, Henson’s body was moved to Arlington National Cemetery, the burial ground of many of America’s heroes.

    The gravestone there says: Matthew Alexander Henson Co-Discoverer of the North Pole.