African Americans on Postage Stamps

Exploration: Matthew Henson

22-cent Robert E. Peary and Matthew Henson stamp
The Robert E. Peary and Matthew Henson stamp was issued May 28, 1986.

Matthew Henson was Admiral Robert Peary's most trusted member of the expedition that discovered the North Pole. Born in Charles County, Maryland, in 1866, Henson went to sea at age 13 and for several years traveled all around the world. When he first met Peary, Henson was in his early twenties, and their shared sense of adventure bound them together for more than 20 years. Henson accompanied Peary on several attempts to reach the North Pole, which they finally reached together on April 6, 1909.

The Black Experience