'The Classic Account of One of the World's Greatet Black Explorers.'
Some expedition members questioned Peary's decision to take a black man on the final leg of the journey. Others defended it, citing Henson's popularity with the Inuit, whose language and skills he'd mastered. Upon their return, Peary received wide recognition from the National Geographic Society and the U.S. government for his attainment of the Pole, but Henson was largely ignored, except in the Black community. In later years, Henson received much deserved acclaim for his twenty-three-year contribution to Peary's expeditions. This definitive 100th anniversary edition will be enhanced with material from The Explorer Club's archives, including reference to Henson's correspondence with the club and photographs of Henson ephemera. It also contains a list of Henson's honours and a bibliography of celebratory accounts of his achievements.