Ages 8 to 14 years. Although prejudiced attitudes in the early 1900s prevented African American explorer Mathew Henson from receiving his equal credit, he and Robert Peary were true partners in the dangerous race to discover the North Pole. This adventurous book describes how they survived exploration in the harsh climate of the Arctic by adopting the ways of the Inuit, and how, despite controversy, they became famous role models upon returning to the United States. Readers will relive the experience of a partnership that left a legacy of scientific and geographic discovery. Other topics include: their life experiences; the events that lead to Henson's acceptance of Peary's proposal; the racism Henson encountered as an African American explorer; doubts about the expedition; their competitors in the race to the top of the world.