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Wiki History: Black Explorers 1
The African American Explorers 1
October 13th was Columbus Day in the United States. He is celebrated for his explorations to/around India in the 15th century. Today, we know that he didn’t actually make the trip to India and we don’t want to discuss what he did in the Americas, but there is no denying that Christopher Columbus was an explorer.
Of course, there have been (and still are) many people who show the courage to leave their own shore in search of distant lands. We hear their shories of courage (and sometimes conquest) in history classes and on the Discovery Channel or PBS. But we don’t often learn about African American explorers and their burning desire to explore strange new lands and go boldly where no one has gone before.
This podcast will introduce you to African American explorers and show you that while the world is getting smaller and smaller, the adventures and explorations are getting greater and bolder. The boundaries are endless. The only limit is your imagination, your courage, and your willingness to test your personal limits.
What is your limit? How far are you willing to go for glory?
These stories will show that exploration is not about finding gold or other riches (many explorers, including Columbus, have forgotten that golden rule.) Exploration is a test of your limits and transcending them. And that’s about more than finding new lands…it applies to any new activity like taking a new job or following a new career, getting an education or going back to school, learning a new language or studying a new subject, moving to a new city or country and evening learning more about yourself.
The people in this podcast series on African American explorers challenged themselves and more. They went beyond their perceived limits and ultimately expanded their life, their worlds, and themselves. And this continued long after they “returned home” from their journey.
If you’re up to the challenge, let’s begin our journey with an African American man who endured many obstacles and hardships simply to reach a pole: The North Pole!
Matthew Henson: The First Man to Sit on Top of the World!
Born in Maryland in1866, Matthew Henson was an explorer (in every sense of the word) and so we begin our discussion of Black explorers with this incredible—though sometimes forgotten African American—pioneer.
Henson had what one could call a challenging childhood. He was orphaned when he was only 10 years old. Relatives then took care of him and his sisters. At age 11, he ran away from home and went to live with his aunt in Washington, D.C. There, he would listen to stories about the sea from his friend, Baltimore Jack, and eventually he started walking to Baltimore to hang around the waterfront to talk with the other sailors.
A year later, at the tender of 12, he became a cabin boy on a merchant ship called the Katie Hines and sailed around the world. By the age of 18, he had traveled to China, Japan, Philippines, France, Russia, and Africa. He was a skilled navigator, an experienced sailor, and very well traveled. But his adventures were just beginning.
In 1887, Matthew Henson met Commander Robert Peary (is that name familiar?). This team would make history. Peary hired Henson to travel with him to Nicaragua to survey a canal route. Four years later, Henson and Peary prepared for their first attempt to reach the North Pole. It failed. However, seven was their lucky number. On their 7th attempt, they finally reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909. Yes, it took Henson nearly 20 years to reach the North Pole! That’s determination and Henson had plenty of it.
He was the first person to reach the North Pole!
But it took more than determination and the burning vision that Henson had set on reaching the North Pole. His experience, skill, and hard work all played a huge role in his success. While preparing for reaching the North Pole, Henson learned the Inuit language. He learned their culture. And he learned Arctic survival skills, including building igloos, hunting, and sled driving. He was prepared and primed to reach the North Pole. Henson also personally trained every member of the team, including Peary himself.
Of course, interesting and conflicting theories have been reported about the race to the North Pole.
For example, while many people credit Robert Peary with reaching the North Pole first, there are stories that Matthew Henson was the first to reach the Pole, beating Peary to the Pole by 45 minutes. Henson blazed the trail ahead of Peary, whose toes were frozen and was being pulled on the sled.
Others claim that Robert Peary (and also Matthew Henson) never actually reached the North Pole in 1909. Over the years, this achievement has been confirmed by some sources and denied by others.
And many people only acknowledged Robert Peary for reaching the North Pole. Because of racism, the general public discounted or even omitted Matthew Henson’s accomplishments and contributions. People constantly praised Peary. But Henson was ignored and forgotten. To his credit, Peary acknowledged and repeatedly talked about Henson’s indispensable contribution to the mission, saying that “he could not have made it to the Pole without Henson.” Yet the general public tried to silence this fact.
But none of this really matters.
What matters most, particularly today, is that we know Matthew Henson started life as an orphan and eventually became a world explorer. He had life experiences that many people only dream of. He developed unique skills, learned a unique language, and had a unique (and prosperous) life. He became the first man to sit on top of the world!
Although his accomplishments were discounted or omitted because of racism, we can now give this incredible man, this great explorer, the acknowledgment that he deserves. We can also learn from his experiences.
By the way, in better late than never fashion, Presidents Truman and Eisenhower later acknowledged Matthew Henson’s contribution to reaching the North Pole. And the prestigious Explorers Club elected Henson for membership in 1937, making him the first African American to join the club.
In 1912, Henson published a book about his explorations called A Negro Explorer at the North Pole. It’s an inspiring story about this great explorer and his lifelong journey to the North Pole. I encourage you to read it for yourself and to read it to your children. You won’t be able to put it down. And it will definitely lift you up!
Speaking about his explorations, Matthew Henson said, “The lure of the Arctic is tugging at my heart. To me, the trail is calling. The old trail. And the trail that is always new."
There are other African American explorers that felt the lure of the Arctic tugging at their hearts. They also braved the fierce cold of the Polar Regions. I just want to briefly mention George Gibbs who in 1939 became the first Black person to set foot on Antarctica. A U.S. Navy man selected from 2,000 applicants, Gibbs was a member of Admiral Byrd’s third expedition to the South Pole. And his explorations did not stop there. He later became a civil rights leader in Rochester, New York where he organized the local chapter of the NAACP and challenged segregation in social organizations, including the Elks Club. And he emerged victorious.
So, we know Matthew Henson’s trail led to the North Pole. George Gibbs trail led to the South Pole. Where does your trail lead?
Each of us has our own trail. In the next podcast, our Black explorers have their sights, not going northwards or southwards. But going…upwards. Next time, we look to where no “African American” man or woman had gone before!
See you next time on robinlofton.com. Thanks to Doug, the lawyer explorer. You can find Doug at www.lawyerexplorer.com. Remember to find your own trail and keep exploring!
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By Robin Lofton
3.5
22 ratings
The African American Explorers 1
October 13th was Columbus Day in the United States. He is celebrated for his explorations to/around India in the 15th century. Today, we know that he didn’t actually make the trip to India and we don’t want to discuss what he did in the Americas, but there is no denying that Christopher Columbus was an explorer.
Of course, there have been (and still are) many people who show the courage to leave their own shore in search of distant lands. We hear their shories of courage (and sometimes conquest) in history classes and on the Discovery Channel or PBS. But we don’t often learn about African American explorers and their burning desire to explore strange new lands and go boldly where no one has gone before.
This podcast will introduce you to African American explorers and show you that while the world is getting smaller and smaller, the adventures and explorations are getting greater and bolder. The boundaries are endless. The only limit is your imagination, your courage, and your willingness to test your personal limits.
What is your limit? How far are you willing to go for glory?
These stories will show that exploration is not about finding gold or other riches (many explorers, including Columbus, have forgotten that golden rule.) Exploration is a test of your limits and transcending them. And that’s about more than finding new lands…it applies to any new activity like taking a new job or following a new career, getting an education or going back to school, learning a new language or studying a new subject, moving to a new city or country and evening learning more about yourself.
The people in this podcast series on African American explorers challenged themselves and more. They went beyond their perceived limits and ultimately expanded their life, their worlds, and themselves. And this continued long after they “returned home” from their journey.
If you’re up to the challenge, let’s begin our journey with an African American man who endured many obstacles and hardships simply to reach a pole: The North Pole!
Matthew Henson: The First Man to Sit on Top of the World!
Born in Maryland in1866, Matthew Henson was an explorer (in every sense of the word) and so we begin our discussion of Black explorers with this incredible—though sometimes forgotten African American—pioneer.
Henson had what one could call a challenging childhood. He was orphaned when he was only 10 years old. Relatives then took care of him and his sisters. At age 11, he ran away from home and went to live with his aunt in Washington, D.C. There, he would listen to stories about the sea from his friend, Baltimore Jack, and eventually he started walking to Baltimore to hang around the waterfront to talk with the other sailors.
A year later, at the tender of 12, he became a cabin boy on a merchant ship called the Katie Hines and sailed around the world. By the age of 18, he had traveled to China, Japan, Philippines, France, Russia, and Africa. He was a skilled navigator, an experienced sailor, and very well traveled. But his adventures were just beginning.
In 1887, Matthew Henson met Commander Robert Peary (is that name familiar?). This team would make history. Peary hired Henson to travel with him to Nicaragua to survey a canal route. Four years later, Henson and Peary prepared for their first attempt to reach the North Pole. It failed. However, seven was their lucky number. On their 7th attempt, they finally reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909. Yes, it took Henson nearly 20 years to reach the North Pole! That’s determination and Henson had plenty of it.
He was the first person to reach the North Pole!
But it took more than determination and the burning vision that Henson had set on reaching the North Pole. His experience, skill, and hard work all played a huge role in his success. While preparing for reaching the North Pole, Henson learned the Inuit language. He learned their culture. And he learned Arctic survival skills, including building igloos, hunting, and sled driving. He was prepared and primed to reach the North Pole. Henson also personally trained every member of the team, including Peary himself.
Of course, interesting and conflicting theories have been reported about the race to the North Pole.
For example, while many people credit Robert Peary with reaching the North Pole first, there are stories that Matthew Henson was the first to reach the Pole, beating Peary to the Pole by 45 minutes. Henson blazed the trail ahead of Peary, whose toes were frozen and was being pulled on the sled.
Others claim that Robert Peary (and also Matthew Henson) never actually reached the North Pole in 1909. Over the years, this achievement has been confirmed by some sources and denied by others.
And many people only acknowledged Robert Peary for reaching the North Pole. Because of racism, the general public discounted or even omitted Matthew Henson’s accomplishments and contributions. People constantly praised Peary. But Henson was ignored and forgotten. To his credit, Peary acknowledged and repeatedly talked about Henson’s indispensable contribution to the mission, saying that “he could not have made it to the Pole without Henson.” Yet the general public tried to silence this fact.
But none of this really matters.
What matters most, particularly today, is that we know Matthew Henson started life as an orphan and eventually became a world explorer. He had life experiences that many people only dream of. He developed unique skills, learned a unique language, and had a unique (and prosperous) life. He became the first man to sit on top of the world!
Although his accomplishments were discounted or omitted because of racism, we can now give this incredible man, this great explorer, the acknowledgment that he deserves. We can also learn from his experiences.
By the way, in better late than never fashion, Presidents Truman and Eisenhower later acknowledged Matthew Henson’s contribution to reaching the North Pole. And the prestigious Explorers Club elected Henson for membership in 1937, making him the first African American to join the club.
In 1912, Henson published a book about his explorations called A Negro Explorer at the North Pole. It’s an inspiring story about this great explorer and his lifelong journey to the North Pole. I encourage you to read it for yourself and to read it to your children. You won’t be able to put it down. And it will definitely lift you up!
Speaking about his explorations, Matthew Henson said, “The lure of the Arctic is tugging at my heart. To me, the trail is calling. The old trail. And the trail that is always new."
There are other African American explorers that felt the lure of the Arctic tugging at their hearts. They also braved the fierce cold of the Polar Regions. I just want to briefly mention George Gibbs who in 1939 became the first Black person to set foot on Antarctica. A U.S. Navy man selected from 2,000 applicants, Gibbs was a member of Admiral Byrd’s third expedition to the South Pole. And his explorations did not stop there. He later became a civil rights leader in Rochester, New York where he organized the local chapter of the NAACP and challenged segregation in social organizations, including the Elks Club. And he emerged victorious.
So, we know Matthew Henson’s trail led to the North Pole. George Gibbs trail led to the South Pole. Where does your trail lead?
Each of us has our own trail. In the next podcast, our Black explorers have their sights, not going northwards or southwards. But going…upwards. Next time, we look to where no “African American” man or woman had gone before!
See you next time on robinlofton.com. Thanks to Doug, the lawyer explorer. You can find Doug at www.lawyerexplorer.com. Remember to find your own trail and keep exploring!