Biddy Mason

As a young enslaved woman, Bridget “Biddy” Mason trekked cross-country behind her master’s wagons, carrying the youngest of her three daughters on her back. She herded cattle, prepared meals, and was midwife to the women on the journey.

She and her family eventually were taken to California which, in 1851, was a free state. Mason petitioned the court for her freedom. African Americans were barred from testifying in court, but the judge heard her story and freed Mason and her children.

Mason saved her earnings as a midwife and invested in property. She became the wealthiest black woman in Los Angeles and one of its most noted philanthropists.