Discussions are underway in the Los Angeles City Council to rename Pershing Square, one of downtown LA’s iconic public spaces, in honor of Bridget “Biddy” Mason, a former slave who became a prominent Black pioneer.
The LA City Council’s Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee is scheduled to deliberate on the proposal to rename Pershing Square. If approved by the committee, the agenda will move to the full city council.
The proposal was originally introduced two years ago by then-Councilman Kevin de León, who also advocated for commemorative street signs in connection with the name change.
Before losing his re-election bid to Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado in 2024, de León successfully passed a motion in the city council to designate a portion of Downtown LA’s Spring Street as the “Biddy Mason Legacy Corridor.”
This discussion follows a three-day commemorative event celebrating Mason’s life and legacy. Hosted by the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles, the “I Am Biddy” event highlighted her journey from enslavement to becoming one of LA’s early Black landowners, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders.
Born into slavery, Biddy Mason was forced to walk from Georgia to California alongside her slaveholders. She later petitioned an LA court for her freedom, won the case, and became a free woman.
She worked as a nurse and midwife, becoming one of the first Black women to own property in Los Angeles. She later amassed considerable wealth through real estate investments and was known as a philanthropist who supported the LA Black community.
LA city officials explained that renaming Pershing Square would be a symbolic recognition of Mason’s contributions to the city.
Former Councilman de León began pushing for additional measures to honor Mason after a wreath-laying ceremony in 2022. At the time, he met Mason’s fourth-generation descendants, sisters Cheryl Cox and Robin Cox, who reportedly requested greater recognition for their ancestor.
Currently, the Biddy Mason Memorial Park is located between Broadway and Spring Street in Downtown LA. However, family members have pointed out that this memorial space is located next to a parking lot and is difficult to find.
According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, Mason purchased about one acre of land in 1866 located between what is now Broadway, Spring Street, 3rd Street, and 4th Street. The current mini-park is also situated around this property.
Pershing Square was originally designated as ‘La Plaza Abaja’ in 1866 by then-Mayor Cristóbal Aguilar. It was later renamed in 1918 to honor General John J. Pershing, who commanded the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I.
