Matthew Henson ~ African-American Arctic Explorer~ Coffee Mug

Matthew Alexander Henson (1866 - 1955) was the first African-American Arctic explorer, an associate of Robert Peary on seven voyages over a period of nearly 23 years. They made six voyages and spent a total of 18 years in expeditions. Henson served as a navigator and craftsman, traded with Inuit and learned their language, and was known as Peary's "first man" for these arduous travels. ***** CC-PD-Mark (PD-US-Gov) ***** Re: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EXPLORER_MAT_HENSON_-_ONLY_LIVING_AMERICAN_TO_SET_FOOT_ON_THE_NORTH_POLE_-_NARA_-_535688.jpg ***** Artist: Charles Henry Alston ~ (1907 -1977) was an African-American painter, sculptor, illustrator, muralist and teacher who lived and worked in the New York City neighbourhood of Harlem. During the 1930s and early 1940s. Alston created illustrations for magazines such as Fortune, Mademoiselle, The New Yorker, Melody Maker and others. He also designed album covers for artists such as Duke Ellington and Coleman Hawkins. Alston became staff artist at the Office of War Information and Public Relations in 1940, creating drawings of Noteable African Americans. These images were used in over 200 black newspapers across the country by the government to foster goodwill with the black citizenry. Alston was the first African-American supervisor for the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project. *****