by Dick Mac
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York was born enslaved some time in the 1770s, the son of Old York and Rose. He died of unknown causes around 1830.
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Recently, an anonymous artist installed a bust of York in a public park in Portland, Oregon, with the inscription “the first African American to cross North America and reach the Pacific Coast.” (See link below.)
York was born to Old York and Rose, slaves of explorer William Clark's family. He grew-up as the "body servant" to the future explorer, and accompanied Clark and Merriweather Lewis on their famed expedition across North America. York was the only African American on the trip, making him the first African American to cross the continent.
York was an extremely valuable member of the expedition, negotiating with indigenous people along the route who were more inclined to negotiate with a man of color than the white men leading the group.
Upon their return from the expedition all members of the team received money and land, except for York, who returned to a live of enslavement under Clark. After years of relative freedom on the journey, York was ill-prepared and unhappy to return to enslavement and although he requested his freedom many time, Clark kept him enslaved and hired him out to a brutal slave driver in Kentucky.
Those who would re-write history, apologists for slavery, are emboldened by words written by Washington Irving pretending that Clark freed York with six horses and a wagon to start his own business in Nashville. There is no evidence that this was true.
York's contribution to the Lewis & Clark Expedition was invaluable, likely more valuable than many of the others on the trek. However, he was denied the same rewards and stands as a symbol of the injustice that black people have suffered, and continue to suffer today, in the United States.
After years of service to this nation, York was denied the same compensation as his white peers. African Americans in the United States are still treated differently than white people, are still compensated at lower rates, and punished at higher rates; and until more white people stand up and say this must stop, it will continue.
#blackhistorymonth #BlackLivesMatter #WorkForChange