A Negro Explorer at the North Pole: The Autobiography of Matthew Henson - Hardcover

Henson, Matthew A.

3.78

169 ratings by Goodreads

9781931229005: A Negro Explorer at the North Pole: The Autobiography of Matthew Henson

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1931229007 ISBN 13: 9781931229005

Publisher: Invisible Cities Pr, 2001

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

When Commander Robert Peary reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909, one other American was with him-Matthew Henson, a black man from Maryland who had been Peary's faithful companion through 22 years of polar exploration. This is Henson's story in his own words, from his early years as a sailor to his meeting Robert Peary and their multiple expeditions to the North Pole. Filled with hair-breadth escapes from disaster and haunting evocations of life in the Arctic, this classic of exploration literature reveals Henson as the true hero of the journey, one who had been forced to accept a lower status because of his race. It was Henson who learned to speak the native tongue of the Eskimos, Henson who handled the dogs and broke the trail, and Henson who arrived first at the North Pole after being purposely left behind by Peary. New to this edition are rare articles and photos of the expedition that Henson published to set the record straight.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author:

Matthew Henson was an explorer who was part of the first team to reach the North Pole in 1909. He is honored today by a monument at Arlington National Cemetery, a U.S. postal stamp, and a U.S. naval ship bearing his name. He died in 1955.

From Publishers Weekly:

Robert Peary is remembered as the intrepid explorer who successfully reached the North Pole in 1909. Far less celebrated is his companion, Matthew Henson, a black man from Maryland. A Negro Explorer at the North Pole: The Autobiography of Matthew Henson, first published in 1912 and now re-issued, tells this unsung hero's story in his own words. Henson, who was paid only minimum wages throughout two decades of his association with Peary, was indispensable to the famous explorer's journey; he learned the language of the Eskimos, was an expert dog-sled driver and even built the sleds. But after they reached the North Pole, Peary stole the black man's photographs, barely spoke to him and refused to recognize his importance to the expedition. This edition contains rare photos of the journey and an introduction by S. Allen Counter, author of North Pole Legacy: Black, White, and Eskimo

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.