☞ REMEMBER: Matthew Henson circa 1905

Matthew Henson was the exploration partner of Robert Peary who help make the famous first trip to the north pole back in the early part of the 20th century. Mr. Henson was a skilled dog sled driver and may have been the first man to reach the geographic destination back in 1909 but Robert Peary was widely accredited for the feat. The African American Explorer would eventually move to Harlem at the Dunbar Apartments at 149th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue until he passed away in 1955.


Archival image courtesy the digital collection at the Schomburg