Did Ada Blackjack Get Her Son Back?

The story of Ada Blackjack is one of the most fascinating and heartbreaking tales of survival in history.

Born in 1898, Ada was a young Inuit woman who became famous for her role in an ill-fated Arctic expedition. In 1921, she and four other people set sail for Wrangel Island, a remote and uninhabited landmass located off the coast of Siberia. Their mission was to establish a settlement on the island and claim it for Canada.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. The expedition was plagued by bad weather, illness, and infighting.

In the end, only Ada survived. She spent two years alone on the island before being rescued by a passing ship in 1923.

During her time on Wrangel Island, Ada faced unimaginable hardships. She had to fend for herself in a harsh and unforgiving environment with few resources. She hunted for food, built shelters out of driftwood and animal skins, and battled loneliness and despair.

But perhaps the greatest challenge Ada faced was being separated from her son Bennett, who she had left behind in Alaska before embarking on the expedition. Bennett was just one year old at the time.

Ada had hoped to use her share of the profits from the expedition to provide a better life for her son. But when she returned home after her ordeal on Wrangel Island, she discovered that Bennett had been taken away from her by his father’s family.

For years, Ada fought to regain custody of her son. She wrote letters to government officials pleading her case and even traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with lawmakers. But despite her efforts, she was never able to get Bennett back.

In some ways, Ada’s story has a bittersweet ending. She went on to live a long life filled with adventure and accomplishment. She became an advocate for Indigenous rights and even returned to Wrangel Island in 1933 to search for the remains of her former companions.

But the loss of her son haunted Ada for the rest of her life. In an interview with a reporter in 1981, she said, “I never got my boy back. That’s what hurt me most.”

In conclusion, Ada Blackjack is a remarkable figure in history who embodies the strength and resilience of the human spirit. Her story serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that people make in pursuit of their dreams and the enduring power of maternal love. While she may not have gotten her son back, Ada’s legacy lives on as an inspiration to us all.