Tag Archive: lewis and clark expedition

A statue of York, the slave and body servant of William Clark, who accompanied Lewis and Clark on the Corps of Discovery expedition to the Pacific Ocean.  While he remained a slave throughout the expedition and after it was over, York played at times an equal to the white men he accompanied on the journey, including having a vote on key decisions the group made, such as where to make camp for the winter.  He was also entrusted with a firearm, something a slave back in Kentucky would not  be allowed access to. He also proved valuable as a scout and hunter for the group.

After the expedition Clark did not free York immediately from captivity as some other slave owners might have done. But eventually during a visit from Washington Irving, the author of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, William Clark agreed to free York. Not much is known of York after that, other than he started up a business as a wagoner.