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The enslaved man known as York embarks on the Lewis and Clark expedition.
1804 (May 14)
The enslaved man known as York set out as part of the Lewis and Clark expedition, officially as Clark's valet. York was the son of Old York and his wife, Rose, who were enslaved house laborers of the Clark family. During the two-year journey, however, York also served as a diplomat of sorts: he apparently acted as a French-Canadian interpreter for Clark and built friendships with Native Americans by dancing for them. According to some accounts, York returned to Kentucky with Clark and served as his valet until his death. Clark, however, claimed to have set York free in 1813 when he went to St. Louis as governor of the Missouri Territory.
References:
- • Hornsby, Alton. Chronology of African-American History: Significant Events and People from 1619 to the Present. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995.