Legendary African-American Arctic explorer Matthew Henson was born into poverty, ran away from home and went to sea at age 12. Yet he grew up to become a famous American hero whose long term partnership with Robert E. Peary allowed them to discover the North Pole in 1909.
Today Matthew Henson is remembered as a truly remarkable and well loved man; one who helped others, never spoke unkindly or harbored anger, was enthusiastic, and highly skilled in many disciplines. When men were starving and no food could be hunted, Henson declared he would find game - and he returned with fresh meat to keep them alive. When others could not go on, he carried them home. When even the indomitable Peary felt they were going to die he gained courage when he looked at Matthews face.
Henson's partnership with the Inuit people contributed to the astounding success of the 1909 North Pole expedition. The Inuit people made a legend of Henson, whom they called "Matthew the kind one." However, what should have been a glorious public reception was turned into a bitter nightmare of controversy when hoaxer, con artist, and later Federal Prisoner # 23118, Dr. Frederick Cook, claimed he reached the Pole a year earlier. The public was bitterly confused and divided by Dr. Cook for several months until Cook's lies became his downfall. Permanent damage had been done to the honor of the 1909 expedition team.
The public of 1910 had no place for an African-American hero; so Henson was never given the recognition he earned through the 18 years and 7 highly dangerous, difficult Arctic journeys he endured with Peary. His rewards and recognition came gradually. In the 1930's he was made a member of the New York Explorers Club of which Peary had once been the President. All the other famous explorers knew how valuable Matt had been at the North Pole. Freuchen, Stefansson, MacMillan, Bartlett and others kept close friendships with him.
also today....
a Special happy Bday to Actor Sidney Portier
Sidney Poitier Biography (1927- )
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RELATED WORKS
* Films
* 1955 The Blackboard Jungle
* 1958 The Defiant Ones
* 1963 Lilies of the Field
* 1967 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
» More works
Actor, director. Born February 20, 1927, in Miami, Florida. Born prematurely on the high seas en route to Miami, Poitier grew up in The Bahamas. His youth was filled with delinquency, and his parents eventually sent him to live with his brother in Florida in 1941. Poitier served a short stint in the United States Army before moving to New York to pursue an acting career.
A student at the American Negro Theater in New York City, Poitier appeared on stage and in films before making his Hollywood debut in 1950. Cast mainly in supporting roles, he won an Oscar for Lilies of the Field (1963). The win marked the first Oscar awarded to a black actor and made Poitier cinema's first African American superstar, one who consciously defied racial stereotyping. Handsome and unassuming, he brought dignity to the portrayal of noble and intelligent characters, including Philadelphia detective Virgil Tibbs in In the Heat of the Night (1967). Other notable films include The Defiant Ones and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967).
Poitier, Sidney (1927- )
Related Works
* Films
* 1955 The Blackboard Jungle
* 1958 The Defiant Ones
* 1963 Lilies of the Field
* 1967 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
* 1967 To Sir, With Love
* 1967 In the Heat of the Night
* 1970 They Call Me Mister Tibbs!
* 1971 The Organisation
* 1988 Shoot to Kill
* 1988 Little Nikita
* 1992 Sneakers
* 1997 One Man, One Vote
* 1997 The Jackal
* Director
* 1972 Buck and the Preacher
* 1977 Uptown Saturday Night
* 1980 Stir Crazy
* 1990 Ghost Dad
...I had the pleasure of reading this great book "The measure of a man" last year..please find the time to pick it up...you will be humbled and enlightened....
Be Golden
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