Metro Renames DTLA Station For Formerly Enslaved LA Pioneer

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Metro Board of Directors Thursday unanimously approved a motion to rename the Pershing Square station in downtown Los Angeles after Bridget "Biddy" Mason, a formerly enslaved woman who became a prominent landowner, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

The motion, introduced by Metro board chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, directs the transit agency to update station signage, maps, geographic information data and other wayfinding materials in a timely and cost- effective manner.

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The motion was co-authored by Metro board members Jacquelyn Dupont- Walker, Los Angeles County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis, and Inglewood Mayor James Butts.

Metro will also notify the city of Los Angeles, nearby businesses, community organizations and other stakeholders before the official rollout of the new station name.

The agency will conduct a public awareness campaign through social media, its website and other channels to inform riders and residents about the change.

"Biddy Mason was an extraordinary Angeleno, that was an enslaved woman, who overcame enslavement to become a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, and community who helped shape the history of Los Angeles," Bass said.

"Renaming the station acknowledges her contributions to downtown L.A., including co-founding the city's first African Methodist Episcopal Church and supporting generations of Angelenos in need. This action also ensure that millions of Metro riders and visitors encounter her legacy as they move through the heart of our city," Bass added.

Mitchell noted that Mason owned parcels of land in what is now downtown Los Angeles, a part of her history that she said is sometimes overlooked.

"I know there's been some public debate as to whether it should remain named Pershing Square. Mr. Pershing did not own land in downtown L.A., and she did," Mitchell said.

Dupont-Walker said the renaming would honor Mason's role in founding the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Southern California and help ensure her story remains visible in public spaces.

Although the proposal drew support, some critics argued that removing the Pershing name would diminish recognition of military veterans and their contributions to the country.

Todd Fine, who opposed the change, said American democracy was in a precarious position and warned against actions that could be perceived as attacks on historical symbols.

"It's arguably on the brink of collapse. We have fascist rhetoric at the national level... and one of the things that is fueling this is the perception that liberal are attacking American democracy and symbols of American history," Fine said.

"John Pershing, there was a huge outpouring of L.A. one week after World War I to rename a park after him. We're going to dishonor his legacy and attack John Pershing by renaming a park unnecessarily," Fine added.

In September, the Los Angeles City Council approved renaming Pershing Square itself in honor of Mason.

Located at 532 S. Olive St., the downtown park was originally dedicated in 1866 by then-Mayor Cristóbal Aguilar as La Plaza Abaja. It was renamed in 1918 in honor of Gen. John J. Pershing, who commanded U.S. forces in Europe during World War I.

Former Councilman Kevin de León, who lost his 2024 re-election bid to Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, previously secured City Council approval to designate a stretch of Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles as the Biddy Mason Legacy Corridor.

City officials have described the renaming of Pershing Square as a symbolic recognition of Mason's contributions to Los Angeles.

Born into slavery, Mason was forced to travel from the South to California with her enslavers before successfully petitioning a Los Angeles court for her freedom.

She became a nurse, midwife and one of the first Black women to own property in Los Angeles, eventually accumulating substantial wealth through real estate investments. She was also known for her philanthropy and support of the city's Black community.

De León began efforts to honor Mason in 2022 following a wreath-laying ceremony. At a tribute wall in downtown Los Angeles, he met sisters Cheryl and Robynn Cox, Mason's fourth-great-granddaughters, who urged him to pursue additional recognition of their ancestor.

The city already has a memorial to Mason at Biddy Mason Memorial Park between Broadway and Spring streets. Her family has said the site can be difficult to find because of its location next to a parking lot.

According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, Mason purchased a nearly 1- acre property in 1866 between what are now Broadway and Spring streets and Third and Fourth streets, where the memorial park is located.

City News Service