Point #1
Born on August 8, 1866 on a farm in Nanjemoy, Maryland, to sharecroppers who had been free people of color before the American Civil War.
Point #2
At the age of twelve, the youth made his way to Baltimore, Maryland, where he went to sea as a cabin boy on the merchant ship Katie Hines. The ship’s leader, Captain Childs, took Henson under his wing and taught him to read and write. He saw much of the world, traveling to Asia, Africa and Europe aboard the Katie Hines.
Point #3
After Captian Childs died, Henson came back to Washington, D.C., working as a clerk in a hat shop. There, he met Robert Edwin Peary, an explorer for the US Navy Corp of Civil Engineers. Peary was so impressed by Henson’s knowledge of sailing that he hired him for his trip to Nicaragua, Greenland and the North Pole.
Point #4
The North Pole proved to be the most difficult of all trips. But, on April 6, 1909, Peary, Henson, four Eskimos and 40 dogs (the trip had begun with 24 men, 19 sleds and 133 dogs) finally reached the North Pole—or at least they claimed to have.
Point #5
Due to the unfortunate times, Henson never received the credit or accolades as Peary. After the trip, he worked as a clerk in the New York federal customs house. Henson died in New York City in 1955.
Works cited
Matthew Henson – Explorer – Biography
Matthew Henson – Wikipedia
Henson, Matthew (1866-1955) | The Black Past: Remembered and …