Buffalo Dance The Journey of York
This map is intended to help students better understand the places and content mentioned in the text. There are additional locations in the Expedition Layer to increase comprehension. The poems in the text represent the times before, during, and after the exedition. The map layers for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark are added for background information purposes.

Author's Information

Danville, KY
Frank X Walker was born June 11, 1961, to Faith and Frank Walker, Sr. He was the second of eleven children. He developed a love for books as he grew, spending a great deal of time reading. He grew up in public housing where distractions like television didn't exist. Book-Mobile visits were eagerly awaited to exchange books read for those waiting to be read. Creativity was strongly encouraged and modeled within the household; his mother wrote church plays for children, sewed items from toys to wedding dresses, and cooked extensively while his father recycled electronic devices. As a child, Frank was known for painting holiday designs in the ice cream shop's windows, decorating bulletin boards, and creating dioramas. Danville, Kentucky, is rich in history, as seen in the first three images; these images show the community in the late 1940s and 1950s, shortly before the author's birth. To view current images, visit https://www.danvillekentucky.com/. (Photo credits: and

Danville High School
Mr. Walker played offense and defense on the football team and also ran track for all four years. He referred to himself as both a jock and a scholar with thick glasses. He graduated in 1979. To learn a bit more about the school's history, visit https://dhs.danvilleschools.net/. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

University of Kentucky
Frank X Walker was a first-generation college student, the first member of the family to ever attend college. He began his studies on a scholarship in electrical engineering but realized that was not his passion and changed his major to English, despite his mother's concerns, and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He returned to the University of Kentucky in 2010 as an associate professor in the English Department and as co-chair of Africana Studies. In his studies, Mr. Walker was filled with an array of emotions because there were no African American writers he had ever learned about, and the definition of an Appalachian was "white" according to his dictionary. He set out to give voice to people of color, such as an award-winning jockey, writing poems about York, and more. He also wanted to highlight other aspects of Kentucky beyond horse racing. Visit https://www.youvisit.com/tour/uky?pl=wa for a virtual tour of the campus. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

University of Kentucky's King Cultural Center
Mr. Walker served as the Program Coordinator for the King Cultural Center from 1985 to 1995. It was during this time that he coined the term "Afrilachia/Affriclachia" and began working with young adult writers, founding Affrilachian Poets. One of Walker's responsibilities was to teach African American history; he was surprised that, despite his education up to that point, he had not learned about York, and that needed to change. Visit to view a presentation similar to the one that touched Mr. Walker to give a voice to York. The image shows how Chautauqua presenter Hasan Davis presented York. Visit the center at https://www.uky.edu/mlkc/. (Image Credit: Kara Beth Brunner)

Black Cultural Center at Purdue University
Mr. Walker served as the Assistant Director of the Black Cultural Center at Purdue from 1995 to 1996. Take a virtual tour of the campus at https://www.admissions.purdue.edu/visit/virtualtour.php.

Governor's School for the Arts
Mr. Walker served as the Executive Director from 1996 to 2004. Additionally, from 2000 to 2004, he served as Vice President of the Kentucky Center for the Arts. Learn more about all of the types of arts at http://www.kentuckycenter.org/education-community-arts/gsa.

Transylvania University
In 2002, Frank X Walker received his second honorary doctorate degree, a Doctor of Letters. He was a visiting professor here in 2006-2007.

Spalding University
Mr. Walker earned his Master of Fine Arts in Writing in 2003.

Eastern Kentucky University
Mr. Walker served as the interim Director of the African/African American Studies Program and as an assistant professor in the Department of English and Theatre from 2004 to 2006.

Lexington, KY
Mr. Walker is married with four children. Not only is he teaching at local colleges, but he has also returned to the visual arts as well and turned the family's dining room into a studio where he can paint and spend time with his family. This image depicts the area near his office. Visit  for an article and image of him painting with his young son watching. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

Publisher's Information

University Press of Kentucky
This publishing company primarily prints texts and textbooks for educational purposes. It has printed books since 1969.

Corps of Discovery Expedition

Louisville, KY
In October of 1803, some members of the Corps of Discovery set out for St. Louis from Louisville, near the home of William Clark, by boat. These images show models of the ships used. This was not the official beginning of the journey, but a staging of some supplies. (Image Credits: https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/highsm/39300/39303v.jpg and https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/highsm/39300/39305v.jpg.)

Camp Dubois, Il
Captain Lewis recruited and trained the volunteers over the winter of 1803-1804. They departed the camp on May 14, 1804,  just north of St. Louis, MO.

Saint Charles, MO
Saint Charles was the site of final preparations and the official launching point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Visit https://lewisandclarkboathouse.org/?page_id=168 to learn more about the keelboat that was specifically built for the expedition.

St. Louis, MO
St. Louis was the official beginning of the trip, and more volunteers were recruited from this area. Many of the men trained for the trip over the winter at nearby Camp Dubois, Illinois. The group set out against the current of the river on May 14, 1804, and returned on September 23, 1806. (Image Credit: https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/highsm/39300/39324v.jpg and Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

Atchison, KS Area
On July 4, 1804, the group paused to celebrate America's birthday.

Omaha, NE Area
On August 2, 1804, the group met the first Native American nation — the Otoe-Missouri Indians. The following day was the first formal meeting with a Native American nation and the exchange of gifts; this would be referred to as the Council on the Bluffs. (Image Credit:

Sioux City, IO Area
The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center marks the area where Sgt. Charles Floyd died and was buried on August 20, 1804. This is the monument in his honor. Visit https://www.siouxcitylcic.com/ and  https://www.facebook.com/sclandc/ to learn more about the Center. To learn more about the Sioux nation, visit  (Image Credit: https://www.loc.gov/item/2016630102/)

Floyd River
This is the river named in honor of Sergeant Charles Floyd, the only member of group to have perished during the expedition.

Fort Mandan, ND Area
On October 26, 1804, the expedition arrived at a group of villages; these tribes had a greater population than St. Louis did at that time. The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes together form a single Native American nation. These people built permanent villages with homes dug into the ground. The Mandan tribe was known for its tattoos, beadwork, baskets, and painted buffalo robes. Their culture was rich due to extensive trade along the Missouri River. Fort Mandan was built to be the winter camp from November 2, 1804, to April 7, 1805. The fort was triangular with 16-foot-tall walls. It was here that Toussaint Charbonneau, along with his wife Sacagawea, was hired as an interpreter; Sacagawea's son was born on February 11, 1805. With birds migrating northward and ice melting, the time to set out was at hand. After scouting ahead and seeing the Great Falls in person, Captain Lewis decided that the large boat could go no further. It was there that the expedition's keel boat was covered with skins and then sent back to St. Louis on April 7, 1805, loaded with botanical samples, small wildlife specimens, maps, and letters home. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

Great Falls, MT Area
The two small boats and the canoes were carried around the falls, a trek of 18 miles. The group finished their portage and celebrated on July 4, 1805. These images show the magnitude of the falls. The hope of finding a water route to the Pacific Ocean faded here. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

Yorks Islands
It was a great honor, and the most lasting honor given, that this collection of islands was named for York along the Missouri River. This image shows the river upstream from the islands. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

Lemhi Pass/Continental Divide
On August 26, 1805, the group arrived at Lemhi Pass of the Continental Divide, a difficult and narrow two-mile stretch, and crossed just two weeks after the scouting party. The Continental Divide is the point in the Rocky Mountains where rivers either flow east or south to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, or west to the Pacific Ocean. No rivers cross the continental divide. These are flowers that grow at Lemhi Pass. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

Orofino, Idaho Area
After a grueling trip through the mountains, York, Clark, and a few others met members of the Nez Perce tribe. This tribe was known to travel, following the buffalo and salmon, and for trade. The Nez Perce people's homeland included Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana. The Nez Perce tribe kept the corps horses as the group continued by boat and returned them upon the group's return. To learn more about this tribe, visit These images show, first, the Clear Water River, then the Columbia River, and sights along the rivers. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

Bitterroot Mountains
The group met a band of Shoshones led by Sacagewea's brother, Cameahwait, who provided horses for the journey through the mountains. (Image Credit: https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/highsm/47900/47949v.jpg.)

Long Beach, WA Area
In November of 1805, while dealing with the weather of the northern Pacific Ocean coast, the first vote to include an African American was cast. Sacagawea was also allowed to vote, although women would not vote in elections for more than one hundred years in most states. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from Shutterstock.com.)

Fort Clatsop, OR
The group began construction of the fort on December 10, 1805, and moved in just fifteen days later. The newly built fort was named after the Clatsop tribe. The winter was difficult, and most were ill, weakened, and tormented by insects. On March 23, 1806, the group set out for home. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com and

Pompeys Pillar
On the journey back to civilization as they knew it, Clark carved his name in the rock. The rock formation was named in honor of Jean Baptiste "Pomp" Charboneau. The rock tower is 200 feet high. The name Clark gave, Pompey's Tower, was later changed to Pompey's Pillar. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

Mount Hood, OR
Rising 11,239 feet above sea level, Mount Hood is considered an active volcano. It is the fourth-tallest mountain in the Cascade Mountains. It was first sighted in 1792, showcasing twelve glaciers and snowfields covering its peak. Visit http://www.mthood.info/mt-hood-faqs.html to learn some interesting facts. These images show Mount Hood from two different vantage points.

York's Early Life and Later Life

Caroline County, VA
York was born in Caroline County, Virginia, around 1772. He was born a slave owned by John Clark, the father of Captain William Clark. York spent his young life with William.

Rumored as a Crow Chief
Years after their return, York was finally granted his freedom. At first, he had a business as a wagoner. Despite William Clark's account of York's death, there were multiple sightings of a man claiming to have traveled with Lewis and Clark. York had been well received by the Crow nation due to size, known as "Big Medicine," and demeanor, and according to the journals of Zenas Leonard, a famous mountain man, York lived with the rank of chief and maintained four wives.

Meriwether Lewis's Important Places

Ivy, VA
Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774; his parents were Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether. Their home was known as Locust Hill; young Meriwether spent much of his time exploring the forest. Sadly, his father died when he was a young boy.

Broad River, GA
Capt. John Marks married Meriwether's mother and moved the family to Georgia. While there, Meriwether enhanced his hunting and fishing skills and learned to use herbs as medical remedies.

Locust Hill Plantation
When Meriwether returned to Locust Hill, he began studying under local pastors and doctors. He became a gentleman farmer. When his stepfather passed away, he moved his mother back to Virginia along with her young children. He continued to study the plants and wildlife in the area.

Monticello, VA
Meriwether Lewis became the personal secretary to President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson's home, Monticello, is known for its botanical studies.

2nd Governor of the Louisiana Territory
Following the expedition, President Thomas Jefferson appointed Lewis the second governor of the territory from 1807 to 1809, when Lewis died en route to Washington to meet with Jefferson. Lewis's love for nature was evident in his journals from the expedition, in which 178 plants and 122 animals were discovered. (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)

William Clark's Important Places

Western Caroline County, VA
William Clark was born on August 1, 1770. William was the ninth child of John and Ann Clark.

Mulberry Hill, KY
The Clark family moved to the frontier land of Kentucky following the Revolutionary War. William's brothers had fought in the war, but he was not old enough to enlist. William Clark lived here primarily until 1803, although he fought with the Indiana Militia and then the Legion of the United States in the Northwest Indian War.

3rd Govenor of the Lousiana Territory
Clark was appointed governor from 1813 to 1820 following Lewis's death. He married Julia Hancock in 1808 and had a family, as well as caring for Sacagewa's son "Pomp". (Photo Credit: Image(s) used under license from shutterstock.com.)