If you grew up in the US, you know the Sacagawea of the bronze statues: the "faithful guide" who led Lewis and Clark to the Pacific. It's a clean, patriotic narrative.

It’s also largely a fiction.

On the latest episode of By Their Own Compass, Sarah Keenlyside and I dig into the reality of 1805. We are not just looking for an "inspiring" story of historical travel. We’re also looking for stories that capture the reality of people moving across space and time, of frontiers and front doors.

What we found was a 16-year-old mother, bound to a much older man whom others referred to, somewhat euphemistically, as her husband, and compelled to join an expedition sent to explore a land she and thousands of others called home. In the end, she proved every bit as essential for the mission's success as its famous leaders, Lewis and Clark.

Our goal with this podcast isn’t to tear down icons for the sake of it. It’s to test these narratives against reality. When you strip away the mythology, you don't lose the hero; you just find a human being who was much tougher, more resilient, and yet less free to choose her own fate than the history books often care to admit.

You can listen to "By Their Own Compass: Sacagawea" now.