Matthew+Henson

Matthew Alexander Henson was born on a farm in Charleston County, Maryland on August 6, 1866. He was still a child when his parents died. When Henson turned 12 he went to sea on a merchant ship. He sailed around the world several years educating himself and becoming a skilled navigator. Henson met commander Robert E. Peary November 1887 and joined him on an expedition to Nicaragua. Impressed with Henson's seamenship, Peary recruited him as a colleague.