Biddy Mason

Bridget ("Biddy") Mason (born August 15, 1818 in Hancock County, Georgia - died January 15, 1891 in Los Angeles, California) was an African American nurse, and a California real estate entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Born a slave slave in Georgia, Mason was among a small group of slaves taken by her master Robert Smith, a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church), first to the Utah Territory, and then on to California. In 1856, when Smith was planning to move to the slave state of Texas, Mason petitioned a Los Angeles court for her freedom. A California judge granted her freedom as a resident of a free state, as well as the freedom of the other slaves held captive by Smith (her three daughters, and ten other African-American women and children).

Mason worked in Los Angeles as a nurse and midwife. Saving carefully, she was one of the first African Americans to purchase land in the city. As a businesswoman she amassed a small fortune of nearly $300,000, which she shared generously with charities. She was instrumental in founding a traveler's aid center, an elementary school for black children, and was a founding member of First African Methodist Episcopal Church, the city's first and oldest black church.

Mason is an honoree in the California Social Work Hall of Distinction.