The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously last Friday to rename downtown's Pershing Square, one of the city's oldest parks, after Bridget “Biddy” Mason. The five-acre plaza, located near the Biltmore Hotel between Olive and Hill streets, will become Biddy Mason Park, honoring a woman born into slavery who became a wealthy landowner and a founder of the city’s First African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The council’s decision directs city officials to begin the renaming process. The Rev. Timothy E. Tyler of the First AME Church was among those who urged the council to approve the change, stating, "In a world where histories are being erased and denied or negated, we believe that this act by the City Council will signal to the world that we in Los Angeles value those who have helped to build this city."
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, whose district includes the park and who advocated for the name change, described the new name as a better reflection of Los Angeles. Jurado remarked that "when we talk about the Angeleno spirit, resilience, hope and a refusal to let injustice define what’s impossible for us, there may be no better example of that than Biddy Mason."
Before this latest change, the downtown square was first dedicated in 1866 as La Plaza Abaja. It was renamed Pershing Square in 1918 at the end of World War I, in honor of General John J. Pershing, who commanded U.S. forces in Europe.
Not everyone supported the renaming. Courtland Jindra, a former co-director of the California World War I Centennial Task Force, spoke against the change at Friday’s council meeting. Jindra argued that the plaza honored not just Pershing but all soldiers and sailors who fought in World War I, asking, "If we take away memorials for anyone, for the military, who’s to say they’re not going to take away the L.A. Memorial Coliseum?"
Kim Cooper, who leads historical tours of Los Angeles with her company Esotouric and identifies as a preservationist, also criticized the name change. Cooper stated in an interview that "Pershing lived a life of integrity, as did Biddy Mason, and they’re not in competition." She also noted the city’s oversight of the square, observing trash, drug activity, and a homeless encampment on a park bench on Friday morning, highlighting its condition as a public space with historical significance.
On the other hand, Kevin Waite, a history professor at the University of Texas at Dallas and biographer of Mason, supported the renaming. Waite, who grew up in Pasadena, said it was appropriate to rename the park for a local legend rather than a war commander he believes has little significance to the city. He noted that "Black civic leaders like Biddy Mason have long struggled for their due," and found in his research that Mason owned land directly adjacent to the park, between Olive and Grand streets.
Biddy Mason, born Bridget in Mississippi in 1818, was enslaved for much of her early life. After being sold multiple times, her last owner, Robert Smith, moved west to establish a Mormon community in Utah. In 1848, Mason walked 1,700 miles over several months as part of a 300-wagon caravan, caring for her owner’s children, her own, herding cattle, and cooking meals. A few years later, Smith relocated again to San Bernardino, despite slavery being illegal in California at the time.
During this trip, Mason encountered free Black Americans who informed her and other enslaved individuals about their right to challenge their citizenship status upon reaching the Golden State. Mason eventually petitioned for her freedom in court and, along with several family members, was freed in 1856. This legal victory marked one of the first challenges to slavery in Los Angeles and set a significant precedent for freedom in California.
Mason was previously honored in 1989 with a mini-park built on her original homestead off Spring and 3rd streets. However, Waite commented that this existing spot "isn’t prominent and is hidden from the public’s view." Cooper agreed the current Mason memorial "needs some love," but suggested additional signage rather than renaming Pershing Square. Separately, an earlier attempt to rename Pershing Square for Mason was proposed by then-Councilmember Kevin de León in 2024, but the initiative expired without a hearing after he faced political challenges following a 2022 City Hall racism scandal.
