18 Black Explorers you might not have heard of--because they’ve been erased from history!
1. Matthew Henson (1866-1955)
Accomplishment: One of the first men to reach the North Pole in 1909 alongside Robert Peary. Henson played a crucial role in the expedition and built strong relationships with the Inuit people, but his contributions were often overlooked.
2. Estebanico (1500-1539)
Accomplishment: One of the earliest known African explorers of North America. Estebanico, an enslaved man, traveled with Spanish explorers and was among the first to explore what is now the southwestern United States.
3. Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (1745-1818)
Accomplishment: Often considered the founder of Chicago, Point du Sable was a Black pioneer and explorer who established a successful trading post near the site of modern-day Chicago.
4. Barbara Hillary (1931-2019)
Accomplishment: At 75, she became the first African-American woman to reach the North Pole in 2007. She later reached the South Pole in 2011, making her one of the few Black women to reach both poles.
5. Sophie Danenberg (1971–Present)
Accomplishment: In 2006, Danenberg became the first African-American woman to summit Mount Everest, one of the world's most difficult and dangerous climbs.
6. Abubakari II (1300s)
Accomplishment: A ruler of the Mali Empire, Abubakari II is believed to have led a fleet of ships across the Atlantic Ocean, possibly reaching the Americas nearly 200 years before Columbus.
7. York (1770–1832)
Accomplishment: An enslaved Black man who was a key member of the Lewis and Clark expedition (1804-1806). York’s knowledge of survival and diplomacy was instrumental in the success of the expedition.
8. Mae Jemison (1956–Present)
Accomplishment: The first African-American woman to travel in space. In 1992, Dr. Jemison flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, becoming a modern-day explorer in space.
9. James Pierson Beckwourth (1798-1866)
Accomplishment: A mountain man, explorer, and fur trader in the American West. Beckwourth discovered what became known as the Beckwourth Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains, a key route for settlers moving west.
10. Augusta Braxton Baker (1911-1998)
Accomplishment: Known for pioneering African-American children's literature, Baker also explored diverse narratives and was a key figure in the advancement of multiculturalism in children's stories, making her a cultural explorer.
11. George Gibbs Jr. (1917-2000)
Accomplishment: The first African-American to set foot on Antarctica. Gibbs was a Navy veteran who made history as part of the first U.S. expedition to Antarctica in the 1940s.
12. Woniya Thibeault (Present)
Accomplishment: A survivalist and outdoor adventurer, Woniya Thibeault was the runner-up in Season 6 of _Alone_, where she demonstrated her resilience and connection to nature. She explores both physical landscapes and ancestral knowledge.
13. Matthew Alexander Henson Jr. (1900s-Present)
Accomplishment: Not to be confused with the North Pole explorer, this modern adventurer explores underwater landscapes and has led marine research expeditions around the world.
14. Edward Bouchet (1852-1918)
Accomplishment: The first African-American to earn a Ph.D. in physics, Bouchet explored the intellectual frontiers of science in the late 19th century, breaking racial barriers in academia.
15. Lillian Lincoln Lambert (1940–Present)
Accomplishment: A businesswoman and entrepreneur, Lambert explored new avenues in business and education, becoming the first African-American woman to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School.
16. Victor J. Glover (1976-Present)
Accomplishment: A NASA astronaut who became the first Black astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station for an extended mission (2020-2021). Glover continues to explore the frontiers of space.
17. William S. Pinkney (1935–Present)
Accomplishment: Pinkney became the first African-American to sail solo around the world in 1992, covering 27,000 miles in his yacht _Commitment_.
18. Juan Garrido (1480-1550)
Accomplishment: An African explorer and conquistador who participated in the exploration of the New World alongside Spanish explorers. He played a significant role in the conquest of Mexico and later explored parts of the Caribbean.
