The Race to the North Pole: Pioneers of the Arctic Frontier

Good day, family. Let’s take a moment to shine a light on a brother whose name deserves to echo just as loudly as the explorers we read about in history books. His name was Matthew Henson—and in 1909, alongside Robert Peary, he became one of the first men to stand at the North Pole.

Now think about that for a second. Born in 1866 in Nanjemoy, Maryland, Henson came into this world just a year after the Civil War ended. He grew up poor, with odds stacked against him. But God had a bigger story in mind. As a young boy, he went to work on ships along the Potomac River, where he met Captain Childs—a man who became a mentor and gave Henson a vision of life beyond survival. That exposure created desire, and that desire turned into destiny.

By 1887, he crossed paths with Robert Peary, who saw his grit and skill and brought him on expeditions to the Arctic. For more than two decades, Henson was there—leading dogsled teams, navigating by the stars, learning from the Inuit people, and pushing through conditions most of us couldn’t imagine. When the day finally came, April 6, 1909, it was Henson who drove the sled, Henson who scouted the ice, and Henson who stood first at the top of the world—planting the flag in a place no man had reached before.

But here’s the part that hits home for me: despite his courage and brilliance, his role was pushed to the side. Because he was a Black man in America at that time, the spotlight rarely touched him. Yet, as the years passed, the truth couldn’t stay buried. In 1944, he was finally honored with the Peary Polar Expedition Medal, and in 1954, President Eisenhower welcomed him to the White House, calling him a “distinguished and courageous citizen.”

To me, Matthew Henson’s story is about more than just reaching the North Pole. It’s about perseverance, faith, and the quiet strength it takes to walk in your calling even when the world refuses to see you. He showed us what it means to keep pressing forward—through storms, through prejudice, through the frozen unknown—until your purpose is fulfilled.

His journey reminds me that exploration isn’t just about geography. It’s about pushing the boundaries of what we believe is possible. Henson’s life is proof that God equips ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and that representation matters.

So today, let’s honor Matthew Henson—the son of former slaves who traveled to the top of the world. His legacy is an invitation for us all to be bold, to be faithful, and to step into the adventures God sets before us.