L.A. renames Pershing Square after Biddy Mason, founder of L.A.'s First AME Church
- Posted on September 4, 2026
- By Los Angeles Times
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- 1 min read
In brief
Los Angeles officially renamed Pershing Square to honor Biddy Mason, a pioneering Black entrepreneur and spiritual leader who established the city's first African Methodist Episcopal Church in the 19th century. This decision recognizes Mason's profound impact on Los Angeles's early development and community foundation, replacing the name of a World War I military figure with recognition of a transformative local icon whose legacy shaped the city's cultural and religious landscape.
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L.A. renames Pershing Square after Biddy Mason, founder of L.A.'s First AME Church
Supporters said Mason, a Black community leader in L.A.'s early days, has more significance to the city than the WWI general Pershing Square was named after in 1918.
