Race in Ragtime

Throughout Chapter 10 of Ragtime, E.L Doctorow introduces us to Matthew Henson, Peary’s helper in his quests in the North Pole. Matthew Henson was an African American man who met Robert Peary while working as a clerk. After being with Peary his life was never the same. He became a really successful man and proved to America that even a black man in 1909 was able to succeed and be famous. He learned to hunt, learned the Inuit language and acquired many skills that enabled him to reach the North Pole. Six men reached the North Pole that day, one black man, one white man and four Eskimos. Doctorow says the following: “Because of the light the faces are indistinguishable, seen only as black blanks framed by caribou fur” (81). Matthew Henson’s “indistinguishable” features symbolize what Americans were unable to accept at he time. At that time, America was not ready to accept an African American hero, and it took a lot of time for Henson to receive the credit that he deserved for his expedition. E.L Doctorow makes a valid statement when he says that the faces were not distinguishable and finds a reason why the people didn’t believe him or didn’t want to believe him when he came back to the United States. Also, in Chapter 10, Peary and Father are really racist towards the Eskimos: “Peary defined the virtues of Eskimos as loyalty and obedience, roughly the same virtues one sought in the dogs.” He includes Henson in their group: “Driving Henson and the Esquimos mercilessly, he had refused t let them sleep more than an hour or two at the end of each arduous day.” Doctorow shows that Henson is still a black servant for Peary and that his most important qualities are obedience and loyalty. Peary got all the awards and the merit for what his team accomplished and for years Henson was only considered to be Peary’s helper and did not get recognition for his contribution. Henson is used to characterize black inequality in the 1900s and how they were still seen as servants, not being able to be successful or heroic. He got the credit he deserved in 1944 and it helped break the races barrier during the 1940s.

By Kevin Roy

Counter, S. Allen. “North Pole Legacy: black, white & Eskimo.” University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst. 1991.

Henson, Matthew. “A Negro explorer at the North Pole: the autobiography of Matthew Henson.” Invisible Cities Press, Montpelier, VT. 2001.

Peary, Robert E. National Geographic News: Matthew Henson. African-American

North Pole explorer Matthew Henson. N. pag. PDF file.