York (born ca. 1770)

E-99-a

York was the only African American on the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Ocean (1803-1806). Enslaved at birth, he grew up near here in the household of William Clark’s parents, moved to Kentucky with the family, and came under Clark’s ownership in 1799. His hunting and bartering skills, care for the sick, dependability, and reception by Native Americans were important contributions to the success of the Expedition. A group of islands in the Missouri River was named for him. Unlike the other members of the Expedition, York received no money or land for his services. He remained enslaved by Clark through at least 1815 and reportedly was freed before 1832.

Department of Historic Resources, 2023

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References/Bibliographic Citation:

Robert B. Betts, In Search of York: The Slave Who Went to the Pacific with Lewis and Clark (Boulder, CO: Colorado Associated University Press), 1985, rev. ed. 2000. “York,” National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/jeff/learn/historyculture/york.htm Darrell Millner, “York of the Corps of Discovery: Interpretations of York’s Character and His Role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition,” Oregon Historical Quarterly, 104 (3) 2003. James J. Holmberg, ed., Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark (New Haven: Yale University Press), 1993.