In Search of York: The Slave who Went to the Pacific with Lewis and Clark"The sole black member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, William Clark's body servant York has been something of an enigma to students of the expedition. More often than not, reputable historians have assumed that the myths surrounding York--that he was a man of superb physique and stamina; that he clowned and womanized his way across the continent; or that he made no significant contributions to the outcome of the undertaking--were reliable characterizations of the first black man to reach the Pacific Ocean. In this concise and solid study Robert Betts removes many of the fallacies surrounding York and pinpoints the important role he played in the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Neither the hero that a few romantic chroniclers have drawn nor the buffoon of many accounts tainted with racism, Betts's York emerges as a believable human being touching both the heights and depths of the world he lived in. On the one hand, York suffered the limitations and degradations of life as a slave; on the other hand, as a participant in the Lewis and Clark Expedition he must have had the rare sensation of knowing that he helped to shape the destiny of the American people"--Book jacket. |
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Contents
The York of the Lewis and Clark Journals | 7 |
York as a Buffoon | 63 |
York and the Indian Women | 68 |
Copyright | |
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American appears arrived ATTEMPT became Beckwourth believe body servant born called camp Captain Charles chief Clark Expedition crossing Crows described died documents evidence expedition explorers fact Falls Field freed freedom give given hand Hill History horses Ibid Indians Jackson Jefferson John journals journey Kennerly Kentucky killed knew known land later least leave Leonard letter Lewis and Clark lived Louis Louisville Mandan master means mention Missouri mountains named Negro never North notes Pacific party perhaps person probably question reason reference reported River Rose Sacagawea seems seen Sergeant Shoshonis showed slave slavery Society sources story taken tell Thwaites tion told took trade tribe turned village Virginia Washington West wife William Clark women writers written wrote York York's young