Told in first person, Davis imagines what life would be like as a slave on the expedition. York meets Sacawajea, is honored and respected by the Native Americans, and suffers the loss of a man he considers a friend, Sergeant Floyd, who was anti-slavery. When they finally reach the ocean, for the first time York has a voice and is asked to vote with the other men. But when Captain Lewis honors the men who took part in the expedition, York's name is never mentioned.
In the author's note, he points out that York's name was not included in the official record of the expedition. He received no honors, payment, or even acknowledgment of his participation. He remained a slave and was separated from his family by Clark two years later. There are differing accounts of York's eventual fate. Clark claimed he set him free and he died of cholera while trying to return to Clark's employment. This seems unlikely, especially considering no evidence of manumission was ever found. There is anecdotal evidence from trappers and Native Americans that York was either freed or escaped and joined the Crow tribe.
A brief page of back matter lists some books and websites with information about York and includes a note that the author took creative license in lieu of any historical record of York's personal experiences. This raises an important point for discussion - how do authors tell the stories of marginalized people who were left out of the historical record? You can dig all you want to and still sometimes the information just isn't there. Do we continue to overlook these people because we can't "prove" or verify all the facts? Or do we bring them into the narrative anyways?
Verdict: Although in picture book format, I'd give this to older elementary students, especially those studying Lewis and Clark, to give them a different and wider perspective on the event. It's too long for a casual read-aloud, but a teacher could read sections aloud in their classroom with, I think, great results. It's well-written and the author thoughtfully discusses the lack of sources. Recommended.
ISBN: 9781543512823; Published January 2019 by Capstone; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library
1 comment:
I am going right out and getting this book. When my kids were in jr. high too much time in school was devoted to the Lewis and Clark expedition- with 4 kids I had my fill of the narrative and would have appreciated them learning about York. Think of how many other untold stories are out there!
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