Matthew Henson

Matthew Henson was an explorer who during much of his life was overlooked for his accomplishments because he was African American. Robert Peary looked beyond Henson's ethnicity, and in time the two developed an incredible friendship while working together. After numerous expeditions and many hardships, they became the first people to reach the North Pole. Peary gained immediate recognition but Henson waited many years while prejudices lessened before being honored for his work.