A famous plaza in downtown Los Angeles may soon have a new name.
City Councilman Kevin de Leon is expected to announce Wednesday that in addition to ongoing work at Pershing Square, the five-acre park may also get a new name, the Los Angeles Times reports.
And Wednesday is Juneteenth, the day that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, a fitting day to announce the proposed new park’s namesake: Biddy Mason, a former slave who The Times described as “an unsung hero of Los Angeles.”
The park, which often hosts special events and protests at Christmas, such as an ice skating rink, was named in honor of General John Pershing, the top American commander during World War I. The honor was bestowed on Armistice Day, which marked the end of the war.
While Pershing was a figure of national importance, Mason helped shape the future of Los Angeles in the 19th century.
People look at their phones while playing Pokemon Go at Pershing Square in Los Angeles, California on July 13, 2016. The square is one of the landmark locations across Southern California where people gather to play the game. (Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
20-year-old American poet Amanda Gorman recites a poem at Biddy Mason Memorial Park during a gathering to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Biddy Mason, who contributed greatly to the founding and development of downtown Los Angeles. The celebration was organized by the Biddy Mason Charitable Foundation. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
A few people rest in Pershing Square after Gov. Gavin Newsom asked everyone to stay home on Friday, March 20, 2020. There are many homeless people on the streets downtown. The city of Los Angeles is on lockdown due to the coronavirus after Gov. Newsom asked non-essential businesses to close and people to stay home. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Members of the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) coalition rally at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, to protest the acquittal of two former Fullerton, California, police officers in the death of homeless Kelly Thomas. The district attorney who prosecuted two California police officers for beating to death a mentally disabled homeless man said security camera footage of the struggle was clear evidence of wrongdoing. But ultimately the footage wasn’t enough, and legal experts said it may have helped the defense win their case. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Snoopy and cast members perform during the “Merry Christmas, Snoopy!” sneak preview showcase at Pershing Square in Los Angeles, California on December 1, 2015. (Philip Faraone/Getty Images)
After suing and winning for her freedom, Mason worked as a nurse and spent her middle age buying land between Broadway and Spring Streets and building a house.
She continued to buy real estate and used the profits from her business acumen to help others, such as paying the property taxes of a local church and providing funds to help grocery stores provide food to flood victims.
“She helped so many people that they affectionately called her ‘Auntie’ and ‘Grandma Mason,'” the Times reported.
That impact is on display at Biddy Mason Memorial Park, 333 South Spring Street, but De Leon, working with Mason’s descendants, hopes more will be done to honor the pioneer.
De Leon’s proposal comes amid calls for reconciliation with the Black community after audio tapes leaked in 2022 showed De Leon and three others taking part in a conversation that included multiple racial and ethnic insults, including some aimed at Black people.
De Leon apologized but refused to resign and was the only one of the four to remain in his position after the scandal.