EPISODE · Apr 12, 2026 · 17 MIN
The Survival of Ada Blackjack - 1921 Wrangel Island Expedition
from HistMuse · host HistMuse
The Survival of Ada Blackjack: Arctic's Forgotten Heroine1921. 23-year-old Iñupiaq seamstress Ada Blackjack joins all-white Wrangel Island expedition for $50/month. Promised other Natives. Discovers she's sole Indigenous member. Resupply fails. Three men walk for help—never return. Final companion dies of scurvy. Ada alone with expedition cat Vic. Traps foxes. Fends off polar bears. Builds shelter. Keeps diary. Survives 6 months solo at -50°F.Rescue arrives August 1923—30 minutes after she fires final flare. HistMuse reveals the Inuit woman who conquered the Arctic expedition that killed four men.
What this episode covers
The Survival of Ada Blackjack: Arctic's Forgotten Heroine1921. 23-year-old Iñupiaq seamstress Ada Blackjack joins all-white Wrangel Island expedition for $50/month. Promised other Natives. Discovers she's sole Indigenous member. Resupply fails. Three men walk for help—never return. Final companion dies of scurvy. Ada alone with expedition cat Vic. Traps foxes. Fends off polar bears. Builds shelter. Keeps diary. Survives 6 months solo at -50°F.Rescue arrives August 1923—30 minutes after she fires final flare. HistMuse reveals the Inuit woman who conquered the Arctic expedition that killed four men.
NOW PLAYING
The Survival of Ada Blackjack - 1921 Wrangel Island Expedition
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.