Biddy Mason
Biddy Mason
Bridget “Biddy Mason” was born into slavery in 1818. She traveled to California from Mississippi with Robert and Rebecca Smith, plantation owners. While in California Biddy learned that California was a slave free state. Biddy’s daughter was dating Charles Owens, a free Black man, who helped Biddy file a petition to acquire freedom for her and her family. She was granted her request and went on to become a businesswoman and a philanthropist.
She acquired property in Los Angeles, had commercial buildings built that she rented to others. She gave food and shelter to the poor of all races, visited inmates in prison and brought them gifts and aid. She built a house on Spring St. in Los Angeles. She had amassed $300,00 during her lifetime which was a lot of money during the 1800s.
The property she owned is in what is now downtown Los Angeles. Biddy and Charles Owens became founding member of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church- the first Black Church in Los Angeles.
The Biddy Mason Memorial Park is located at 304 S. Broadway (behind the Bradbury Building-between Broadway and Spring Streets at 3rd St.) Los Angeles, Ca.
