Downtown LA Stretch to Honor Former Slave `Biddy' Mason

LOS ANGELES, CA — The City Council Wednesday approved the designation of a stretch of Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles as "Biddy Mason Legacy Corridor," in honor of a former slave who became a prominent Southland resident and landowner in the 1850s.

In a 10-0 vote, the council approved a motion introduced by Councilman Kevin de León, who sought to erect ceremonial signs along Spring Street from East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue to Ninth Street to celebrate the legacy of Bridget "Biddy" Mason. The signs will be erected at an undetermined future date.

Council members Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Imelda Padilla, Curren Price, Nithya Raman and Katy Yaroslavsky were absent during the vote.

In addition to the street renaming, de León has introduced a proposal to rename Pershing Square, L.A.'s oldest city park, after Mason.

While the council authorized the street renaming Wednesday, the park's renaming is still being considered by the council's Transportation Committee, and the Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee.

"It is incumbent that the city of Los Angeles ensure that Biddy Mason's legacy is celebrated and remembered by all who traverse this central artery of our city, particularly since her resilience, generosity, and entrepreneurial spirit helped shape the foundations of Los Angeles," according to de León's motion regarding the street renaming.

Mason, born into slavery in Georgia in 1818, became a prominent nurse and co-founded the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in the city.

Pershing Square was originally dedicated in 1866 by then-Mayor Cristóbal Aguilar as La Plaza Abaja, then later dedicated in honor of World War I Gen. John J. Pershing in 1918.

According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, Mason bought a nearly one- acre site in 1866, between what is now Broadway and Spring Street and Third and Fourth streets, the site of a mini-park named Biddy Mason Memorial Park.

There is a memorial plaque at the mini-park, though de León has described it as "hidden next to a parking lot."

Adrian Scott Fine, the CEO and president of the L.A. Conservancy, told City News Service via email that over time, landmarks, parks and buildings are often renamed to honor various individuals.

"Historically, more often than not, the dedication and/or renaming has traditionally favored white, male figures in history, leaving off and under- representing others (women, persons of color, etc.) that may be equally deserving of recognition," Fine said in an email.

While the L.A. Conservancy does not have a formal position on the renaming of Pershing Square, the organization does hope the process is "thoughtful and community-driven" to ensure multiple viewpoints are heard, Fine added.

He also touched upon the significance of protecting history in the city of Los Angeles.

"History is fundamentally about people, their circumstances and achievements, and what they overcame," Fine said in his email. "When we tell fuller stories about individuals and entire groups of people and cultures, the place becomes more real, tangible, and relatable."

City News Service