English: Rear views of the graves of Matthew Alexander Henson (black granite, left) and Robert Edwin Peary (globe, right) at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, in the United States.

U.S. Navy Admiral Robert E. Peary was accompanied on his trip by Matthew Alexander Henson, an African America, and is credited with making the first successful trip by non-Eskimos to the geographic North Pole. They reached the pole on April 6, 1909, accompanied by four Eskimos: Ooqueah, Ootah, Egingwah, and Seegloo.

Peary was interred at Arlington three days after his death on February 20, 1920. Originally, he was buried in Section 3, Lot 1853-B. Due to the limited amount of space in this section, Peary was reinterred in Section 8, Special Lot S-15 -- which is where his body lies now.

Peary himself designed the memorial. It consists of a square concrete foundation, a smaller granite foundation, anirregular octagonal pediment, and bronze clawed feet on which is a 6 foot wide granite globe. The globe is tilted so that the geographic North Pole faces due north. A three inch wide bronze star marks the pole. The globe is of white granite quarried in Maine. The smaller sides of the octagonal base are inscribed with bas-relief Seals of the United States Navy. On the front of the octagonal base is a dedication to Peary. On the rear is the Latin inscription "Inveniam Viam Aut Faciam" ("I shall find a way or make one"). On the right-hand side is carved his wife's name and biograpical information.

The memorial was unveiled on April 6, 1922.

Henson died on March 9, 1955. He and his wife were buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City. Dr. S. Allen Counter, neuroscientist at Harvard University, succesfully petitioned the National Geographic Society to recognize Henson's accomplishments. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan gave permission to have Henson buried at Arlington. On April 6, 1988, Henson and his wife were reinterred near Peary at Arlington National Cemetery.

The headstone is made of polished black Vermont granite. It is 5 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 1 foot thick. A bas-relief bust of Henson in Arctic gear as at the top of the front face, and below is a bronze bas-relief plaque describing his achievement and showing and the four Eskimos at the pole (based on a photograph taken by Peary). On the rear, in gold leaf, is a quotation from Henson taken from one of his journals.