A Negro Explorer at the North Pole

By Matthew A. Henson

New York, Frederick Stokes, 1912, 1st Edition. Sm 8vo. [xii], 200pp. Illustrated with seven full page black and white photographic plates including frontpiece with tissue guard of Matthew Henson, Appendix I & II. Publisher’s blue cloth with undamaged white lettering on front cover and spine. Black and white portrait of Henson inset on front cover. An unusually well preserved copy showing no chipping to white lettering or cover portrait which is common with this publication. A Near Fine copy with no folds, tears or prior ownership markings. Very Scarce.

Appendix I: Notes on the Esquimos

Appendix II: List of Smith Sound Esquimos

Not in Arctic Bibliography (possibly due to racism in the 1950’s ?). Matthew Henson was Robert Peary’s companion and assistant on all but his first trip to the Arctic. Henson was the only other member of Peary’s last expedition (other than Esquimos) that was allowed to go to the Pole. Henson later claimed in an interview that by leading the group, he was actually the first person to step foot on the North Pole.

This book was apparently quite unsuccessful, with few copies sold. Most likely this was a result that little attention was paid to a book by a black man in 1912. As a result, copies of this narrative are considered Very Scarce, and even more so in such well preserved condition inside and out.