Beschreibung:

A Negro Explorer at the North Pole. New York: Frederick A. Stokes, 1912. xx, [2], 200 pp. 12mo. Illustrated throughout. Original blue cloth lettered in white with portrait affixed to front board. Occasional soiling, board extremities with wear, spine lightly sunned with loss to white lettering, overall very good. First edition, signed on title page ("Matthew A. Henson"), together with extensive autograph material laid in. Autograph Letter Signed ("M. A. Henson") affixed to rear pastedown, 1 page, octavo, New York City, November 3rd, 1936, to Harry C. Coley, in part: "I enjoyed reading the letters enclosed and had a hearty laugh about my being a favorite with the Eskimo belles, that is one on me. I am mailing you under separate cover one of my books which will give you some first hand information about my trip to the Pole with the late Admiral Peary." Together with Autograph Christmas Card ("Matthew A. Henson") for 1952 affixed to rear free endpaper, Autograph Note Signed ("Matthew Henson") and obituary news clipping affixed to front free endpaper, clipped signature affixed to lower margin of title page, and Typed Note Signed ("Matthew A. Henson") loosely laid in. Additionally, an Autograph Note Signed of Mrs. Matthew Henson affixed to front pastedown, as well as two autograph cards of Lucy Henson affixed to the end of the Introduction. Matthew A. Henson was hired by Admiral Peary to accompany him on a number of explorations, and his skills proved invaluable for the eventual assault on the North Pole. On April 7, 1909, Peary, Henson and several Inuit reached the North Pole on their third attempt. It would not be for several decades that Henson would receive full credit for being the co-discoverer of the pole during the seminal expedition, but he has since been recognized as the preeminent African-American explorer of the 20th century. Harold C. Coley was an early admirer who developed a long friendship with Henson, as evidenced by the correspondence accompanying this volume.