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February is Black History Month. But Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who rose from poverty and overcame racism to become a leading black conservative thinker and jurist, wasn't on the list of famous African Americans that my son brought home from school.

Interestingly, one name that was on the list was Matthew Henson. He may be more politically incorrect than Clarence Thomas.

Black explorer Matthew Henson was the co-discoverer of the North Pole. In fact, he planted the American flag at the Pole in 1909. In recognition of his great achievement, his body was interred at Arlington National Cemetery at the direction of President Ronald Reagan. Henson's partner on the North Pole mission was U.S. Navy Commander Robert E. Peary.

The Henson/Peary mission has enormous geopolitical significance today, for the obvious reason that access to resources near, around and under the North Pole and other Arctic regions has drawn the interest of America's rivals and potential enemies. This is more than a museum curiosity and footnote to history. Indeed, Henson's contribution to black history was a contribution to American history and our future as a world power. But that assumes that our leaders have any desire to maintain that status.

This year―being the 100th anniversary of the Henson mission―is a great opportunity for the media to finally tell his story so that the American people can develop an understanding of this important part of their history and Henson's significance for our energy future.

At the February 12 NAACP Image Awards ceremony, Stevie Wonder performed his 1976 song "Black Man," which has lyrics referencing historic figures such as Matthew Henson. Still, Henson was only one figure among many in the song and his role in the North Pole mission is largely unknown to most Americans, black or white.

Turner Network Television did a 1998 movie, entitled "Glory & Honor," in honor of Henson and Peary, and a U.S. stamp was issued in 1986 in honor of both of them. There is a valuable (web site) devoted to Henson's life.

Racism can be blamed for some of the lack of recognition of Henson's North Pole discovery. But there is another reason why his achievement may be ignored in the current atmosphere. American discovery of foreign territories and lands is not something that is celebrated these days, even if the American was black, because it smacks of what the Marxists call "imperialism."

In the present context, too much attention to Henson's discovery might get in the way of the push to have the United Nations assume control over tens of billions of dollars worth of oil, gas, and mineral resources in "international waters," such as those in the North Pole region. Under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which will soon be considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the world body would take control of many of those resources. Nations would get access to them by paying a global tax or fee and getting favorable rulings from international judges. Under UNCLOS, the U.S. and other nation-states would only get immediate access to certain resources within identifiable limits off their coastlines. In those areas, of course, radical environmentalists can already be counted on keep them off-limits to the American people.

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