Councilman pushes to rename DTLA plaza for Black hero of early Los Angeles
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A prominent downtown Los Angeles plaza may soon have a new name.
City Councilman Kevin de León is expected to announce on Wednesday that in addition to the ongoing work at Pershing Square, the 5-acre park could also get a new name, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
And Wednesday, which is Juneteenth, a celebration of the end of slavery in the U.S., is an apt day to announce the proposed new park namesake: Biddy Mason, a former slave who the Times described as an “unsung L.A. hero.”
The current name of the park, which often hosts protests and special installations like an ice rink at Christmas, honors Gen. John Pershing, the top American commander during World War I. The honor was bestowed in commemoration of Armistice Day ending the conflict.
While Pershing was of national importance, Mason helped shape the future of Los Angeles in the 19th century.
People look at their cellphones while playing Pokemon Go at Pershing Square in Los Angeles, California on July 13, 2016, at just one of many landmark locations across southern California where people are gathering to play the game. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) L.A. Dreamers: Remembering Biddy Mason Amanda Gorman, 20, a young U.S. poet, recites poetry at Biddy Mason Memorial Park at a gathering held to mark the 200th birthday of Biddy Mason, a key figure in the establishment and development of downtown Los Angeles. Celebration was organized by Biddy Mason Charitable Foundation. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times ) A few people rest in Pershing Square on Friday, March 20, 2020, after Gov. Gavin Newsom requested that everyone stay home. Many on the streets of downtown are homeless. The city of Los Angeles is on lockdown due to the coronavirus after Newsom requested that all non-essential business be stopped and people stay home. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Members of the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition rally to protest the acquittal of two former Fullerton, Calif., police officers in the death of homeless man Kelly Thomas at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014. The district attorney who charged two California police officers with the beating death of a mentally ill homeless man said surveillance video of the struggle provided clear evidence of wrongdoing. But in the end, the footage wasn’t enough and may have helped defense lawyers win the case, legal experts said. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) Snoopy and cast members perform at the Sneak Preview Showcase Of “Merry Christmas Snoopy! at Pershing Square on Dec. 1, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)
After successfully suing for her freedom, Mason worked as a nurse and midwife until she was able to buy land and build a home between Broadway and Spring Street.
She continued buying property, using the proceeds from her business acumen to help others, including by paying property taxes for local churches and providing funds so a grocery store could provide food to flood victims.
“She helped so many people that she was fondly referred to as ‘Aunty’ or ‘Grandma Mason,'” the Times reported.
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That impact is on display at Biddy Mason Memorial Park at 333 S. Spring St., but De León, working in concert with Mason’s descendants, wants more to be done to honor the trailblazer.
De León’s proposal comes as he seeks to make amends with the Black community. In 2022, a leaked audio tape featured De León and three others participating in a conversation featuring multiple racial and ethnic insults, including some that were anti-Black.
De León apologized but refused to resign, making him the only one of the four to remain in office after the scandal.
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