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J.R. 15
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PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor
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the duties of the Task Force; providing for a certain report requiring the; Task
Force to report to the Governor and the General Assembly by a certain date; and
generally relating to a Task Force to Study Establishing a Matthew Henson
Memorial.
WHEREAS, Matthew Henson, an African American, was born in Charles
County in on August 8, 1866; and
WHEREAS, At the age of 12, Matthew Henson, was sent to sea where he
learned joined an expedition to China as a cabin boy under the tutelage of Captain
Childs, who taught him mathematics, and navigation, how to read, and most
importantly, particularly how to read maps; and
WHEREAS, Matthew Henson and Lt. Robert E. Peary traveled seven times to
the Arctic on dangerous and difficult expeditions, and as a result Mr. Matthew
Henson became a superior dogsled driver and hunter an interpreter of the Inuit
language and an expert at on arctic survival, including dogsled driving and hunting;
and
WHEREAS, On April 6, 1909, Lt. Peary, Matthew Henson, and four Inuit
Eskimos reached the Arctic with Matthew Henson arriving well ahead of the others
making him the first person to reach the North Pole then Commander Robert E.
Peary, Matthew Henson, and four Inuits reached the North Pole, with Matthew
Henson having arrived first because he was breaking trail ahead of the group; and
WHEREAS, This significant achievement of Matthew Henson's, including his
trek Although Matthew Henson trekked over 400 miles to stand at the axis top of the
world, went unrecognized for over 20 years due to the color of his skin because of his
race, he was relatively unknown in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Eventually Matthew Henson's accomplishment was acknowledged
through the receipt of several honorary degrees and the dedication of a glacier, a
gymnasium, a middle school, a stamp, a State park, and even an oceanographic ship
after him; and
WHEREAS, Matthew Henson's accomplishment was eventually recognized in
many ways, including: the receipt of a Master of Science Degree from Morgan State
College and Howard University; the naming after him of three arctic locations, a bay,
a cape, and a glacier; and the honoring of Commander Robert E. Peary and Matthew
Henson through a State park, a number of public schools, a U.S. Navy Oceanographic
ship, and a U.S. postage stamp; and
WHEREAS, The people of Maryland would like to recognize the magnificent
contributions of Matthew Henson, a native Marylander and a co-discoverer of the
North Pole, by erecting a memorial to honor him; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That; the
General Assembly and Governor establish a Task Force to Study Establishing a
Matthew Henson Memorial; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force be composed of:
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- 3575 -
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