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The Arikara called him "Big Medicine" because of his black skin. The Hidatsa chief, La Borgne, refused to even believe such a man could exist. He was William Clark's slave, York, and his story encompasses both the heights and depths of American culture.
Like most slaves, York never wrote a word. Almost everything we know about him was written by his slave master, William Clark. This lack of documentary evidence is particularly unfortunate since York's experience is one of the most unique in American history.
