Matthew Henson – Towards The North Pole
Adventure Almanac Episode 11
In 1908, Matthew Henson started his third and final attempt to reach the North Pole. Did he reach it?
Henson dedicated 17 years of his life to exploring the Arctic. Originally, Robert Peary hired Henson as a servant, but when it was time for Peary’s final attempt to reach the North Pole, it was Henson who was Peary’s most trusted partner. As a Black American at the turn of the century, he faced constant racism, but in the Arctic, his character and skills couldn’t be ignored.
Listen to Episode 11, Matthew Henson – Towards The North Pole, for a short story about Henson’s final, wild adventure to reach the North Pole. (22 minutes)
Listen Now: Apple Podcast | Spotify
This episode was researched, written, and produced by the team at Adventure Nerds.
Original music was written and performed by DEI.
Resources About Matthew Henson’s 1908-1909 Arctic Expedition
The autobiographical accounts of Henson’s and Peary’s adventures contain many racist and offensive stereotypes about people and the cultures they encountered. Their stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now.
Henson, M. (1912). A Negro Explorer at the North Pole.
Peary, R. (1910). The North Pole.
To listen to more Adventure Almanac episodes go to the podcast homepage: adventurenerds.com/podcasts
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Previous Episodes:
Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland Race Around The World
Takamure Itsue – A Long Hike Around Shikoku
