The Metro board voted unanimously on Oct. 22 to rename the Pershing Square stop in downtown Los Angeles the Biddy Mason station. The station serves the B and D Lines, and the rename follows a City Council vote in September to rename the park above it.
Metro has not set an opening date for the new name. The motion tells staff to prepare the change first, so riders will not see new signs overnight.
What the Biddy Mason station rename changes
Mayor Karen Bass chairs the Metro board and introduced the motion. Directors Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Holly Mitchell, James Butts and Hilda Solis co-authored it, according to MyNewsLA.
The motion directs Metro to update station signs, maps, geographic data and other wayfinding materials. Before the rollout, Metro will notify the city, nearby businesses and community groups. It will also run a public awareness campaign, so trip-planning apps and printed maps should catch up over time.
For riders, the practical effect is small. The station stays where it is, and trains keep the same schedules. Only the name on signs, announcements and maps changes once Metro finishes the work.
Who Biddy Mason was
Bridget “Biddy” Mason was born into slavery and traveled to California with her enslavers. She later petitioned a Los Angeles court for her freedom. She worked as a nurse and midwife, then bought land and built wealth through real estate, which made her one of the first Black women to own property in the city. Supporters also credit her with helping found the First A.M.E. Church of Los Angeles, according to LAist.
In 1866 she bought nearly an acre between Broadway, Spring, Third and Fourth streets. A small park has marked her homestead since the 1990s. The same year, the city dedicated the plaza that became Pershing Square in 1918, when it took the name of Gen. John J. Pershing.
Support and objections
Most public commenters backed the motion, LAist reported. However, some speakers objected. They argued that dropping the Pershing name would reduce recognition of military veterans. Supporters counter that the change honors a founding figure of the city’s Black community.
What happens next
Metro will now plan the sign and map updates. The agency has not published a cost or a date, so watch the Metro newsroom for the rollout. Meanwhile, the park’s official name depends on the city’s own process after the council vote. For more local transit and city news, see our Los Angeles and California guide.