Bridget “Biddy” Mason was born enslaved in Mississippi in 1818. She walked 2,000 miles behind her master’s wagon managing his livestock all the way to Utah, then California.

While California was a free state, the Smith Family kept this fact hidden from Biddy Mason and the other people that they held in slavery. Once she realized that she and her family had a right to be free she contested her slave status in court and won.

After she gained her freedom, Mason started a business as a midwife and nurse. She purchases a house for her family and began investing in real estate throughout the Los Angeles area. Biddy Mason became one of the wealthiest women in Southern California. She was known for her generosity, she gave her time, talent, and financial support to those in need. She left a legacy of strength and tenacity. We honor Biddy Mason, She Made History.

“If you hold your hand closed, nothing good can come of it. The open hand is blessed, for it gives abundance, even as it receives.”

– Biddy Mason