In 1803 Thomas Jefferson commission Meriwether Lewis, Jefferson’s ex-private secretary, and William Clark, a somewhat frontiersman, to explore and chart lands of the “Louisiana Purchase” that extended west from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains. Neither Lewis nor Clark had much formal education or training in botany, cartography, or Indian languages. To assist them in accomplishing their goal, they included in their party a black man, known simply as York, whose skin color saved the expedition from hostile forces. In early spring of 1804, Lewis and Clark with 48 experienced men set out from st. Louis to explore the uncharted northwest portion of present day United States. York was very useful during their trek through indian territory. Indians were aware of white-skinned traders and trappers even in the remotest areas of the west, but they had never seen a human with black skin. Various indias, including the chiefs, approached York and attempted to wipe the black-ness off. Failing, they accepted that the color was real and placed such a great importance on the skin color that it gave york a special acceptance amongst the Indians. He was given a choice of Indian women. According to Lewis and Clark records at least one Indian took York into his village home for his wife’s extra-marital sexual pleasures. Later, York was given a Shoshone woman, Sacajawea, who played in important role in the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It was reported that York sired a number of mixed-blood offspring throughout the three year trip. But, in addition to his skin color “magic” in sexual proclivities, York had linguistics skills and a natural diplomacy that were of great value inn facilitating his master’s odyssey through western badlands and wilderness. When the exploration was over, York gained his freedom and returned to louisiana. After settling down there, he was made a chief of one of the local Indian tribes. Lewis and Clark went their separate ways,”
