Hasan Davis, a nationally acclaimed living history performer, presents “York: The Untold Story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition” in two performances on Feb. 12.
“Don’t miss this powerful, inspiring, and immersive portrayal as Hasan Davis brings History alive, giving voice to York’s experiences—his contributions, challenges, and the enduring legacy of resilience and courage he represents,” according to the organizers.
The program is presented in collaboration with the Great Falls Public Library, Lewis and Clark Foundation, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center and the Portage Route Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance.
The free program is open to all ages and includes a Q&A session following the performance.
The performances are:
- 2 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center theater
- 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Great Falls High School Davidson Auditorium
While York proved an important participant in the expedition, as a black man and a slave, York was not recognized as a member of the Corps of Discovery until nearly 200 years after the expedition. In 2001, President Bill Clinton posthumously awarded York the rank of Honorary Sergeant in the Corps of Discovery.
The York production premiered at the Spokane Civic Theater in 2005, and was conceived by two Spokane-based talents, actor and African drummer David Casteal, and playwright Bryan Harnetiaux, the Spokane Civic Theater’s Playwright-in-Residence. The production is directed by Susan Hardie.
The show came to Great Falls in 2018.
The Great Falls Public Library is hosting an event celebrating the heritage of Great Falls’ African American community at 6 p.m. Feb. 6.
The program features African American culture, history and cuisine.
The free program is open to the public and co-sponsored by the Alma Smith Jacobs Foundation, a non-profit promoting education, and the Great Falls Public Library.
A variety of speakers and performers will include jazz with Tracy Williams, Alexander Temple Saints Dancers, Belt Theater Company, Bishop Marcus Collins, Darren Esannason, and a sampling of “soul food” provided by Alexander Temple. The Belt Theater Company will perform short scenes from one of their shows and Ken Robison will talk about the history of the local Ozark Club.
At 1 p.m. Feb. 8, The History Museum is hosting their Second Saturday series with Kate Hampton, Montana Historical Society historian.
Hampton will present “Lifting as We Climb: Union Bethel AME and Social Justice in 20th Century Great Falls” in the museum’s Ozark Club.
She’ll discuss the role of Union Bethel AME Church and its members in the struggle for civil rights during the mid-20th century and current efforts to preserve the building for continued use in the 21st century and beyond. The Union Bethel AME Church in Great Falls stands as one of the most significant properties associated with Montana’s African American Civil Rights history.
“Organized in 1890, congregants dedicated Union Bethel’s current church, the sole historic purpose-built Black church in use in the state, in 1917. By the 1910s, Jim Crow infiltrated Montana’s codes and Great Falls’ local ordinances, placing restrictions on Black residents’ ability to marry, work, and patronize businesses. Unofficial but pervasive policies placed many constraints on African Americans. White business owners barred Black patrons from their restaurants, nightclubs, and hotels. Labor unions forbade Black membership, excluding African American workers from the best-paying jobs. In response, Union Bethel AME became the center of Great Falls African American citizens’ civil rights work for social uplift, education, and equality at the local, state, and national levels,” according to the museum.
Hampton is the community preservation historian at the Montana Historical Society’s State Historic Preservation Office. Her past work includes several years with Preserve Montana as director of the Most Endangered Places Program, coordinating Montana’s National Register of Historic Places and working throughout the West as a research historian with Historic Research Associates, Inc.
She directs the “Montana African American Heritage Resources” projects which identify, research, and document resources and places throughout the state associated with African American history in Montana. She served as executive producer and co-writer of the documentary Hidden Stories: Montana’s Black Past. She authored The Best Gift: Montana’s Carnegie Libraries, as well as numerous book chapters, essays and articles.
