Article • Lewis and Clark Trail 2024 Annual Report

Big Medicine: The York Project

About this article: This article was originally published in the Lewis & Clark Trail Annual Report 2024.

A drawing of a man standing in front of a pink background — NPS photo

Website user analytics indicate a growing interest in York, a member of the Corps of Discovery and enslaved by Captain William Clark, who may have been the first African American to journey across the continent. Despite his well-documented contributions to the expedition’s success, York’s legacy remains underrecognized and underexplored.

More than 200 years after the Expedition, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, in partnership with NEW Multimedia, is embarking on a collaborative initiative to bring York’s story to the forefront.

Big Medicine: The York Project and its associated content will support the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail’s network of over 150 partner sites spanning 4,900 miles across 16 states and the territories of more than 65 tribes.

Project Timeline

Multi-stage efforts that will culminate in February of 2026, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

My Name is York - APRIL 2023

As told by Hasan Davis

Conversations on York - DECEMBER 2024

Community dialogues at The Union for Contemporary Art in Omaha, NE

York Outdoors - JUNE 2025

25-minute documentary that explores the connections between York’s legacy and outdoor recreation

Tribal Perspectives on York - PRODUCTION TO BEGIN IN 2025

Video documentation of Indigenous oral histories related to York

Interpretive Guide and Toolkit - FEBRUARY 2026

Comprehensive online and print resources for interpreters at partner sites to accurately, effectively, and courageously interpret York

York Documentary - FUTURE PROJECT

Big Medicine: Conversations on York

In December, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in partnership with The Union for Contemporary Art hosted a facilitated dialogue with community leaders in the City of Omaha. The panel discussed York’s legacy and his connection to civil rights today.

Four panelists sit on a stage together — From left: Panelists Hasan Davis, Sarah Rowe, Eric Ewing, and Clarice Dombeck discuss York in the context of their work in the community.
NPS / © NEW Multimedia

People stand in groups around tables in a reception hall — Big Medicine: The York Project information panels on display at the reception.
NPS / © NEW Multimedia

An audience in a dark theatre look in the same direction — The audience at the Conversations on York event watches Hasan Davis's 45-minute performance as York.
NPS / © NEW Multimedia

Watch the trailer for Big Medicine: York Outdoors

To learn more about the project, visit: our page on York.

Big Medicine: York Outdoors

Honoring York’s legacy and finding nature’s restorative power.

In July 2024, a group of Black educators and environmental stewards from across the country set out on a four-day river journey along the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument to paddle, hike, and camp along the same river where the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled 200 years ago.

The trip was filmed by our partners at NEW Multimedia and is being developed into a 25-minute documentary that will be released in the summer of 2025.