African American explorer Matthew Henson was born August 8th, 1866 in Charles County, Maryland. He was the first African-American Arctic explorer, an associate of Robert Peary on seven voyages over a period of nearly 23 years. They made six voyages and spent a total of 18 years in expeditions. Henson served as a navigator and craftsman, traded with Inuit and learned their language, and was known as Peary’s “first man” for these arduous travels. Although subject to some dispute, he has been recognized as the first to reach the Geographic North Pole.
