 |
Home |
Table of Contents |
Arlington Monument |
Guest Book |
Photos |
Shopping |
News |
Email |
 |
|
|
There is a Navy ship named after
Matthew Henson —
USNS Henson
Wikipedia
/
USNS PEARY: Wikipedia
(below) USNS Robert E Peary (T-AKE-5) |
 |
 |
| Henson & Peary
sail the oceans of the
world |
|
 |
 |
Ahoy Verne! Greetings from the mighty
Robert E. PEARY in overcast Earle, NJ.
Here are a few pix of the diorama with
the figures that you graciously provided
me a few years ago. The diorama is
located I the Officer's Mess aboard the
PEARY. Above it is a sterling silver
tray from the previous FFG- Robert E.
The entire diorama is a free standing
display, built on a custom stand by the
ship's carpenter. The nameplate is
affixed to the top of the display. Just
thought that you'd enjoy seeing that we
put the figures to good use.
Thanks again—Steven Burdi |
|
|
|
|
100th year anniversary of Henson's book; 1912—2012 |
A Negro Explorer At The North Pole |
|
First Edition, Copyright
1912 by Matthew A. Henson. |
 |
|
The photo portraits of Matt appear only in his book. No original photos
survive. You can make high quality scans/prints from those in his book. I
don't believe the picture credit below "...immediately after the sledge
journey to the Pole and back." because his face is too pretty. The 1,000
mile dash, in fact, left him emaciated and weather beaten from the windy 50
degree below zero temperatures. I believe this photo was taken before that
brutal trek. It is the face of the calm arctic adventurer who had 18 years
experience with Commander Peary. |
 |
 |
|
|
|
| National
Geographic's
tribute
to
Matthew
Henson |
| By Dolores Johnson—author of
Onward, A Photobiography of African American Polar
Explorer Matthew Henson |
|
|
 |
National Geographic Extreme
Explorer
[More...] Vol. 3, No. 4. January-February
2010.
Dolores Johnson, author of the book
Onward has written this excellent summary of
the amazing struggle Matthew Henson made to
reach the North Pole. Your library may have
either the Extreme Explorer magazine, a
copy of Onward or they can order them for
you. Ask your librarian.
Wonderful images are like frosting on Ms.
Johnson's inspiration prose. Snuggle up with
your copy and enjoy the read! |
 |
|
Review
by Verne
Robinson,
January
2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
Henson
collectibles |
|
Before President
Obama there was
Matthew Henson—the
first man to
stand on top of
the world. |
 |
Free download
of the 1960s
Old Taylor
(Whiskey)
pamphlet for
this Matthew
Henson bust.
The brochure
claims it is "Antique
Bronze Cast
Stone".
It is actually a
bronzed
appearance
(applied patina)
to a hard cast
material of some
sort.
I once found
one
of these offered on eBay
as an "Antique
Bronze bust".
Upon emailing
the seller it
was revealed he
thought it was
actually cast bronze. He was
also not aware it was
not an antique,
either (only 40
years old).
The base was
fitted with a
paper label
biography of
Henson. Few of
these survived
as the paper
simply rubbed
of. Nevertheless
the text of the
biography can be
obtained from
the original
brochure for
this series.
The cast
material will
break apart if the
bust is dropped.
As a result few
of these remain in
existence and
are thus rarely
offered for
sale.
This is a very
rare item that
deserves to be
preserved. One
of these could
be sent out to a
bronzing company
to have a
durable layer of
copper
electroplated
and bronze
finished (under
$200).
Any Henson bust still surviving
should be placed
in glass case
for public
enjoyment. Henson
is a
tremendously
inspirational
man who could
best be
displayed in
schools,
libraries, etc.
I have restored
the brochure for
Henson fans. It
is about 1.5MB
PDF in high
resolution print quality.
Please make a
copy for
display in your
school, library,
or public place
of business.
Download
brochure |
|
|
Henson's Greenland
family, NEWS from Aviaq |
Sat, 23 Jan 2010 / From: Martha Galskjær <mgalskjaer@hotmail.com>
/ Subject: thank you!
Hello, I wanted to say that
this is a beautiful site giving my great great
grandfather the credit he deserve. My grandfather is Uusaqqaq Henson from Qaanaaq, Greenland. Growing up I
was always told about him, but not until now do i
appreciate who and what he was. Reading both the
comments and other sites, I realize how much he means to
a lot of people and what he has done for history. Thank
you to the author of this site! Martha Sara Inge Aviaq Henson Hostrup Galskjaer,
Denmark/Ontario, Canada |
|
From: Aviaq Henson / Date:
Mon, 9 Mar 2009
Dear Verne,
I have to tell you that only
very few people knew about the
story of Matthew Henson and
Robert Peary and their relatives
in Greenland. Because, Greenland
is still part of Denmark and
when you talk about the story of
Thule - Qaanaaq, you will only
hear about a Danish explorer
Knud Rasmussen.
There are no teaching books in
history about Matthew Henson and
Robert Peary written in
Greenlandic, even though this
story is part of the history in
Greenland. That is because,
unfortunately, the Danish
government had not showed
interest beside their own
history between Greenland and
Denmark. But, as I can see the
journalists in Greenland show
big interest about the story,
which I am glad for it and it's
makes me happy when people in
Greenland starts to asking me
about the story when they heard
about it.
Aviaq's educational Henson &
Peary book
I am thinking about to publish a
teaching book in the near future
about M. Henson & R. Peary, it is
about time that Greenland get to
know about the incredible story
of Matthew, Robert and
descendants in Greenland. On our
national day on June 21st 2009
Greenland will become
Self-Government, it means we
will get more a little of
independence as a country, where
the politic in Greenland will
receive 31 more legislates from
Denmark, but legislates as Jura,
police and foreign politics will
Denmark still keeps.
The step will be a big event for
our history in Greenland. And on
that day, the national post
office Filatelia will publish
the stamp of Matthew Henson. We
have lots of celebrations this
year of 2009.
Greenland's Matthew Henson
stamp
As I have mentioned before that
the Filatelia at
www.stamps.gl will publish a
stamp of Matthew Henson, they
want me to write an article of
Matthew Henson, and I want to
ask you to give me permission to
use pictures of Matthew Henson
and Robert Peary from your
website.
Yours sincerely,
Aviaq Henson
Nuuk, Greenland |
 |
(above) Aviaq Henson lives in Nuuk,
Greenland
(below) Greenland will have self
government from Denmark on June
21, 2009. The national post
office will issue a Matthew
Henson stamp. |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
President Obama and
Michelle walking a
portion of the
inauguration parade
through Washington. |
|
|
|
2018 update: Dr. Allen Counter
passed away in 2017.
The 2009
trip to the Pole (below) was
cancelled...sorry... |
|
Aviaq Henson
going to North
Pole 2009! |
Dear Verne.
100th Anniversary
I have wonderful news about
Matthew Henson and his 100th
years anniversary.
I am going to North Pole! To
celebrate with
Dr. Allen Counter
during his plan. We will be many
who will go to North Pole on
April 6th 2009. We will be: my
father
Vittus Henson and his
brothers Ajako, Uusaqqak &
Qillaq Henson. And Maassannguaq
Avataq’s son, our translator
Navarana, and two of Robert
Peary’s grandchildren and
Ootaaqs grandchild will also on
journey with us. Otherwise
Americans will travel with
Dr. Allen Counter. And some
journalist will also be on
journey.
Matthew Henson Stamp
I have another great news.
I have sent a suggestion to
Greenland Post (national stamp
and post office) to let them
publish a stamp of Matthew
Henson. And they agree with me,
they will publish it on our
national day June 21st 2009. The
reason I have sent them a
suggestion, was that they have
published a stamp of Robert
Peary in 2005, and I want them
to publish of his companion
Matthew Henson, because Matthew
deserve it as much as Robert
Peary.
The year of 2009 is going to be
a great year.
Yours sincerely,
Aviaq Henson, Nuuk - Greenland
See also:
Aviaq family photos /
See also:
More about Aviaq |
|
|
"2009 is going to
be a great
year" |
 |
|
Matthew
Henson Stamp
I have sent a suggestion
to Greenland National stamp and
Post Office to let them publish
a stamp of Matthew Henson. And
they agree with me, they will
publish it on our national day
June 21st 2009. |
|
FOLLOW UP
Matthew Henson's grandson Avataq died
Dear Verne, I looked up your posted
website about me, wow, it looks great,
it is so fun to read about myself on the
web. I will send you some pictures after
North Pole. And I will send you updates
about the trip. Maybe, you can remember
that Anaukaq – Matthew’s son have had 5
sons: Avataq, Uusaqqak, Ajako, Vittus
and Qillaq, but unfortunately, the
oldest son Avataq got in peace this
summer, he was 74 years old when he
died.
It was sad, if he was still alive, he
would join us to the Pole. His son
Maassannguaq will go to the North Pole
for him. I think we will have lots of
memories of Anaukaq and Avataq and not
least of Matthew during the event.
I was in Los Angeles in March 2008, what
a great country. We were 24 on a study
tour from Teachers College in Greenland.
When I someday come to California again,
maybe I will visit you, It is could be
nice if I could see you.
Yours sincerely, Aviaq |
|
About Aviaq Henson
Matthew Henson's direct
descendents all live in
Greenland. Over 100 years ago Matt
Henson and
Akatingwah had a son named
Anaukaq who married a woman
named Aviaq and they had 5 sons. Aviaq was the great mother of
the Henson-Inuit family making
her name, Aviaq, a very
special one. Today Aviaq Henson
in Nuuk, Greenland is a daughter
of Matt Henson's grandson Vittus
Henson. She is training in
Greenland to be a teacher,
will graduate in 2009. More about
Henson family tree... |
|
 |
February 4, 2009
I am a historian in Sydney, Nova Scotia and will be Commodore
of the Royal Cape Breton Yacht Club for 2009. We are planning
celebrating the anniversary of Peary's North Pole discovery this
summer during the tall ships visit from July 25 to July 27.
more... |
|
|
|
|
Editorial:
Surviving the
Second Great Depression |
|
|
Free restored photos
