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Overview:
York (1770's -before 1832 ) was the only African American on the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the first African American to have crossed North America to reach the Pacific. York was born a slave, the son of Old York and Rose who were the slaves of John Clark III, William Clarks father. York was William Clark's lifelong body servant willed to him by his father on July 24, 1799. York was a few years younger than Clark but very large and naturally strong. After experiencing an unprecedented amount of freedom on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, York had trouble adjusting back to the life of a slave. After requesting William Clark for his freedom upon the completion of the expedition, William clark declined multiple times which led him to become agitated with York and eventually hired him out for work in Louisville, Kentucky. According to Washington Irving, William clark told Irving he had freed York and gave him six horses and a large wagon to start a Drayage business driving between Nashville and Richmond. There are conflicting reports on York's death but most historians believe he died from Cholera on his way back to William Clark in St. Louis.

Lewis and Clark Expedition
During the expedition William Clark only mentioned York three times in journal he kept. York is first mentioned in Clarks journal on December 26th 1803, Clark mention's that York and corporal White House had been working with the Whipsaw's indicating that he was already working with the other men on the expedition. Clark mentions York again in his journal on June 5th 1804, noting that York had swam to a sand bar from the Keelboat in order to collect some greens for dinner. This is an important point because the majority of the men on the expedition could not swim. At least two men on the expedition including Captain Clark mentioned that on June 20th, York almost lost his eye during a playful altercation when he had sand thrown at him. York was mentioned again in Captain Clarks journal after a small party including York had descended the Spirit Mound Historic Prairie, Clark notes that " York was nearly exhausted by the heat, thirst and fatigue. Captain Clark said this is because York is too fat and unaccustomed to walk so fast". On September 19th it's noted that while on a hunting party York had killed an elk, there is no record of York having training with a weapon which was not allowed for slaves at that time. Once the party reached the Arikara villages they were fascinated with York since they had never seen a black man before. The natives called him "Big Medicine", which translates to something that cannot be explained. York would play with the children of the villages and tell them that he was previously a wild animal that was tamed by Captain Clark and that he thought children were very good to eat. While playing these games with the children he would show them how strong he was and roar at them. The men and women of the villages adored York as well. On October 12th, 1804 its noted that an Arikara welcomed York to his lodge where the native mans wife was waiting, the Arikara man stood guard outside for sometime in order to permit no interruption of their business. "Their women are very fond of caressing our men, and are much pleased with York. He had fun terrifying the children who constantly follow him", October 15th 1804. York was not pleased with all the attention he received though. During a meeting with a Hidatsa chief named Le Borge, York became very angry and pulled a knife on the chief after he had tried to rub York's skin thinking it was paint. On November 18th 1805, York accompanied Captain Clark to the tree at Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington where Clark added to lewis's name carved in the tree " By Land from the U. States in 1804 & 1805". York had become the first black man to reach the pacific ocean when he walks nineteen miles from their camp with Captain Clark. Sometime as well in late November, York was allowed to cast a vote on a decision pertaining to the expedition making him the first black man know to have voted west of the Mississippi. All the men of the expedition were paid according to rank $5 to $30 per month and granted 320 acres for each enlisted men, except for York.

Legacy
There is no doubt that York played a very important role while reading through the journals written during the expedition. Not only did he fulfill his duties as a laborer along the expedition, the journals also suggest that the color of York's his skin intrigued the Native tribes so much they seemingly gave the expedition a pass through thel and as well as commencing with trade. The journals also suggest that York had gained the respect of many of the men who were part of the expedition as well.