Abstract
This essay reexamines the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the life and labour of York, the enslaved African American man who accompanied the Corps of Discovery from 1804 to 1806. Using expedition journals, contemporary scholarship, and Indigenous perspectives, it argues that York's contributions extended far beyond his assigned role as William Clark's body servant. Through the lens of food procurement and survival, the essay traces York’s work as a hunter, forager, transporter of supplies, and participant in trade networks that sustained the expedition across thousands of miles of unfamiliar terrain. It further explores York's role in diplomatic encounters with Indigenous nations, where his presence often facilitated exchange and curiosity in ways the expedition's official displays of authority could not. While the success of the Corps depended on the labour and knowledge of individuals such as York and Sacagawea, national narratives have traditionally centered Lewis and Clark while minimizing the contributions of those who made the journey possible. By following the often- overlooked trail of food, labour, and survival in the expedition journals, this paper reframes York not as a peripheral figure but as an indispensable participant whose story reveals the contradictions of a nation pursuing expansion and liberty while sustaining systems of enslavement. Ultimately, York's experience illuminates the interconnected histories of Black and Indigenous peoples and invites a broader reconsideration of whose labour and knowledge underpin foundational American narratives.