Travelers Rest Presents the Story of York With Hasan Davis

On Friday afternoon and Saturday, the Travelers Rest State Park will present two opportunities to see and hear author and historian Hasan Davis, who will share the story of York, the only African American to accompany the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

I spoke with Molly Stockdale with Travelers Rest State Park about Davis’ presentations.

Hasan Davis Portrays York Who Was Part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

“We have two days of programming, Friday and Saturday with Hasan Davis, who is just a phenomenal historian and performer who portrays York,” began Stockdale. “York was the enslaved man who traveled with the Lewis and Clark expedition. He grew up with William Clark and traveled with the expedition to the Pacific coast and back.”

Stockdale said Davis’ second appearance will be Saturday at Travelers Rest in Lolo.

Today (Friday) He Will be at the Missoula Public Library

“Then on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. he will be out here at Travelers West State Park, and it's going to be York walking in the footsteps of York,” she said. “He will portray him here in our visitor center, so that people can really hear York’s story in the first person.”

Stockdale said the Native Americans that met the Lewis and Clark Expedition had never before met an African American.

“We often call York sort of an involuntary ambassador, meaning he didn't choose to go on this journey, but he was such an important ambassador to many of the tribes that the expedition met along the way,” she said. “One of the nicknames for him in native languages means Big Medicine. York was an impressive figure, over six feet tall, the first African American that most of the indigenous people had ever met.”

Davis Will Also Portray York on Saturday at Travelers Rest State Park

Stockdale said York’s dark skin held special meaning to the Native Americans who met Lewis and Clark.

“They tell a story in there that's been passed down through generations of Salish people that, in their tradition, a warrior who had suffered a great loss in battle or in salmon or something like that, would black their skin with ash or soot,” she said. “And so when the Salish people encountered York, they thought that he must have had a great loss.”

Get more details about the activities at Travelers Rest here.