Portland, Oregon
OCTOBER 17 - 25, 2025
Nine Days. Six Events. One Community
A celebration of Portland’s first Black ancestor.
In 1805, an enslaved man named York reached what is today Portland as part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 220 years later, people from Portland and beyond will gather to celebrate York and his legacy at six events across the city.
Come be a part of it!
Events
Fri. Oct. 17
The Unraveling of York
Vin Shambry
Alberta House
Selected scenes from The Unraveling of York, plus a York Art Gallery presentation, and a talkback session.
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The Unraveling of York, the play, delves into the captivating story of York, the enslaved African who participated in the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Come witness snippets from the making of this groundbreaking play on October 17 at 7 PM, performed by the talented Vin Shambry and a team of professional artists.
Join us for a major talkback session with playwright Vin Shambry and Mount Tabor bust creator Todd McGrain as they delve deeper into the narrative and significance of York's story.
Before and after the show, immerse yourself in the York Art Gallery presentation, adding layers of depth to your understanding of this historical figure. Additionally, witnessed the special presentation of renaming the main hall within the historic Alberta House to YORK HALL, a fitting tribute to the legacy of York.
For more information on this not-to-be-missed event, please visit this page. Let's come together to celebrate and honor the legacy of York.
Sat. Oct. 18
Our Rooted Futures Festival
The York Collective
LABS Media
Convene with the York Collective and community partners - a space of storytelling, presentations, and pop-up style networking.
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A gathering that invites the public to convene with the York Collective and community partners - a space of storytelling, presentations, and pop-up style networking. The York Collective will provide a visually engaging presentation of the York Urban Village Plan, a guiding light and nexus of work curated amongst community partners in the last three years throughout York Plan District. In honor of York and his story, the York Urban Village is a response to establishing a liberated and cooperative design to aid collective issues.
Songs from York the Explorer: Folk Opera will be included as part of the programming, alongside Q&As, panel dialogues and other presentations
Sun. Oct. 19
Boating With Bubba
Flossin Media & Soul District Business Association
TBD
Set sail with Captain John “Big Bubba” Washington for a powerful day on the water honoring York.
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Set sail with Captain John “Big Bubba” Washington, a fleet of Black mariners, the Flossin crew, and the Soul District Business Association for a powerful day on the water honoring York—the first documented Black explorer of the Pacific Northwest. This immersive river tour traces York’s path along the Willamette, blending live storytelling with cultural reflection and outdoor exploration.
On shore, enjoy a community celebration featuring live music, spoken word, a visual timeline of Black history in Oregon, and a collaborative art installation. Youth can join interactive river education and stewardship sessions, gaining the skills, confidence, and cultural connection to navigate and protect our waterways.Part of the Boating with Bubba series and featured in Flossin Magazine’s Volume 25, this event is a tribute to Black outdoor joy—whether on the water, on the trail, or in community. We’re reclaiming riverways as places of pride, purpose, and belonging.
Join us for a day of history, healing, and outdoor celebration.
Wed. Oct. 22
Big Medicine: York Outdoors
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail and NEW Multimedia
The Tomorrow Theater
This film follows eight Black educators and environmental stewards as they retrace York’s steps along the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. On their journey to revive York’s story, they explore themes of recreation access for people of color, and the joy and healing that the outdoors can provide. There will be a panel discussion after the film.
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Big Medicine: York Outdoors is a 35 min. film which follows eight Black educators and environmental stewards as they retrace York’s steps on a four-day river trip along the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. On their journey to revive York’s story, they explore themes of recreation access for people of color, and the joy and healing that the outdoors can provide. After the film there will be a panel discussion with Oregon Black Pioneers’ Executive Director Zachary Stocks and other participants in the river excursion.
Big Medicine: York Outdoors explores the untold story of York, the only African American member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Enslaved by Captain William Clark, York did not choose to be part of this journey, yet his significant contributions as a hunter, guide, caretaker, and intermediary in interactions with Tribal Nations are chronicled in the journals of Expedition members as well as in accounts from the tribes they met along the way. The Arikara tribe referred to him as Big Medicine for his strength and the color of his skin.
The film is a collaborative effort between Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail and NEW Multimedia, as part of Big Medicine: The York Project, an initiative to bring York’s story to the foreground.
Thurs. Oct. 23
The Journey of York
Hasan Davis
Alberta House
Nationally acclaimed storyteller and living history interpreter Hasan Davis brings to life the remarkable and often overlooked story of York. This powerful first-person portrayal gives voice to York’s courage, resilience, and humanity, shedding light on his critical contributions to one of America’s most iconic journeys.
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Join nationally acclaimed storyteller and living history interpreter Hasan Davis as he brings to life the remarkable and often overlooked story of York, the enslaved Black explorer who was an indispensable member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Through a powerful first-person portrayal, Davis gives voice to York’s courage, resilience, and humanity, shedding light on his critical contributions to one of America’s most iconic journeys.
Blending historical insight, dramatic performance, and deep empathy, this presentation invites audiences to reflect on the complexities of race, identity, and recognition in American history. Davis’s portrayal not only brings the past vividly to life but also invites conversation about the enduring relevance of York’s story in today’s world.
Don’t miss this unforgettable experience—where history steps off the page and into the room.
Fri. & Sat. Oct. 24 & 25
York the Explorer World Premiere
Aaron Nigel Smith & Dr. Renee Mitchell
Patricia Reser Center for the Arts
York Fest marks the world premiere of this groundbreaking new folk opera. Based on historical accounts and set to an innovative score that blends folk, classical, jazz, hip hop, and reggae, York the Explorer celebrates an unsung American hero whose skill and bravery helped map a nation.
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York the Explorer is a new folk opera highlighting the life and journey of York, an enslaved Black man who was a vital member of the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery Expedition. York Fest marks the world premiere of this groundbreaking work at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts.
York the Explorer amplifies the extraordinary story of York, the enslaved Black man who accompanied Lewis and Clark on the Corps of Discovery expedition, yet whose contributions have been largely forgotten by history. Based on historical accounts and set to an innovative score that blends folk, classical, jazz, hip hop, and reggae, York the Explorer celebrates an unsung American hero whose skill and bravery helped map a nation. The opera also honors the indigenous nations who were displaced by the expansion of the United States, acknowledging the complex legacy of westward exploration.
York the Explorer’s book and music are composed by GRAMMY®-nominated producer Aaron Nigel Smith, with lyrics co-written by Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist Dr. Renee Mitchell. This compelling musical work illuminates York’s remarkable journey of self-discovery and determination as he navigates a complex role in the expansion of the American territory.
