York’s Adventures with Lewis and Clark: An African American’s Part in the Great Expedition
Rhoda Blumberg #13

Blumberg, Rhoda. (2004). York adventures with Lewis and Cark: An african american's part in the great expedition. New York: HarperCollins.

Grade Level: 4-8

Awards: ALA Notable Book; Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction; School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; Orbus Pictus Award

Genre: Biography

Content Area: Social Studies

Standards: History: Civics, History, Economics (Describe diversity in the United States and identify its benefits—e.g. cultural traditions and practices, variety of viewpoints)

Access Features: Contents, index, introduction, chapters, endnotes (background information), introduction, illustration credits

Author’s Credibility: Rhoda’s work as an extensive researcher has won her several awards such as the Newbery Honor Book, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and all ALA Notable Books. She uses the primary documents from the journal entries of Clark’s when he wrote to his brother, Jonathan Clark. James Holmberg, editor of Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark writes the introduction to the book. The story is written in chronological order using a conservational tone. Blumberg enjoyed writing this book and you could hear it in her voice throughout the story.

Rhoda Blumberg selected the illustrations--Reproductions of paintings, photographs, artifacts, prints, and documents. She acknowledges the National Park Service, New York Public Library, American Museum of National History, and several others for their help. The cover page is courtesy of Ed Hamilton, the African American sculptor who built the statue. There is a full picture of York’s statue on the title page.

Summary: This is a partial biography of York, Clark’s personal slave, who went on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Since York was a slave, he did not get any credit for his part in the expedition. He helped to build shelters, carry the equipment, and make friends with the Indians, but his name did not get put on the official report as a member of the Corps of Discovery (the Lewis and Clark expedition group). When the Corps did not have food, York visited the Indians for food. The Indians thought of him as a powerful warrior so they would give him plenty of food. All the other men received land and horses, but York received nothing.

Tone: Conversational, partisan

Text Structure: Chronological

Response: I was so excited about this book. I knew about Sacagawea helping Lewis and Clark on the expedition, but I did not know about York. Clark was so nice and kind to York when they were growing up that it was hard to believe that they were master and slave. After the expedition, York was quickly reminded that he was a slave. For his service on the expedition, he received nothing. Out of his selfishness, Clark allowed York to die a broke and lonely man without any recognition or honor for his part in the Lewis and Clark expedition. In this book, Blumberg gave York the honor and credit he so much deserved. I could use this book to talk about the treatment of slaves, kinds of transportation, and the contribution that York made to the expedition.

Related Books: The Incredible Journey of Lewis and Clark, Rhoda Blumberg; Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark, James Holmberg