Matthew Henson

Matthew Henson

Great Men Have Great Assistants

“As I stood there on the top of the world and I thought of the hundreds

of men who had lost their lives in their effort to reach it [North Pole], I felt

profoundly grateful that I had the honor of representing my race.” With these words,

Matthew Henson planted the American flag on the North Pole.

During the past, black Americans have not received the

acknowledgement they deserved. Such was the case of Matthew A. Henson. He was

the first person to discover the North Pole, although Robert Peary is usually credited

with this feat. Henson passed away in relative obscurity, in 1955, and was not given

recognition until 1988, when he was reburied in Arlington National Cemetery with

full honors.

Matthew Henson was born on August 3, 1866 in Baltimore, Maryland.

He was raised in Carrol County. At an early age, Henson’s mother died, leaving him

alone to live with his father. Unfortunately the family experienced problems with the

Klu Klux Klan. To escape the problems and make a better life for his son, Henson’s

father moved the family to Washington, D.C.. While Henson’s father worked, he

took care of the elderly uncle they lived with. While still living in Washington

Henson’s father died, leaving him in care of his uncle. The uncle was mean and

abusive to the point that it caused him to runaway from the only home he had. For

awhile, Henson wandered the streets. He was a poor, ragged, and uneducated kid.

What could he offer to someone to earn a living? Finally, he came to a small

restaurant. The owner hired Henson to sweep and mop the floors, clean the kitchen

and wash the dishes. Henson had no place to stay so they owner let him sleep on the

floor of the restaurant after closing.

One day, Henson saw a sign advertising a ship captain looking for

young men to work on his ship. Since he had nothing better to do, Henson decided

to sign up. That was the beginning of Henson’s sailing career. For the rest of

Henson’s teenage years, Henson sailed around the world. He learned much aboard

the ship such as: mathematics, navigation, the operations of a ship, and how to read

books and maps. By the age of 21, Henson was a skilled and experienced sailor.

Between his terms at sea, Henson would sometimes work to earn a

little money. One job he had would change the course of his life. While a store clerk

in Washington, D.