Biddy Mason- The Real Estate Entrepreneur Who Birthed A City

Background

Once upon a time, Los Angeles was a dusty, sparse township seething with violence erupting from the estimated 2,500 inhabitants. These inhabitants were of Native Californian, Anglo, Mexican, Spanish, Chinese, French, and African- American heritage.

Today, LA is synonymous with Hollywood, glamour, enviable real estate, and a joie de vivre lifestyle that pulls eager crowds searching for fame, fortune, and a piece of sunshine. It stands as it is today, thanks to a small leap of faith from a freed enslaved woman by the name, Biddy Mason who helped build it.

‘Biddy’ Mason first of her name was an enslaved African American woman turned midwife, turned free woman, turned real estate entrepreneur and mogul. From sheer graft and determination, with the kindest of hearts, she became the wealthiest African American woman in Los Angeles in the 1800s, with an amassed fortune of nearly $300,000 (approximately $6million in today's dollars).

Let us double back and get a glimpse of the woman that was Biddy Mason.

Early Days

Bridget Mason was born to enslaved parents on August 15, 1818, in Hancock, Georgia, Mason. From a young age, she was separated from her parents and sold to multiple plantation owners - from Georgia to Mississippi to South Carolina.

In 1836 at the age of 18, she was gifted as a wedding present to a plantation owners’ cousin, Robert Marion Smith, and wife Rebecca Crosby Smith. The family with Mason in tow moved to Mississippi where she picked up skills in midwifery and herbal medicine from other enslaved women. This would serve her greatly in the future.

She would also give birth to three daughters; Ellen, Ann, and Harriet whose father was rumored to be Robert Smith.

Journey to Freedom

In 1847, Robert Smith, now converted to Mormonism moved his family and the enslaved from Mississippi to Utah, where a settlement was established. The journey was arduous.

While there, Biddy helped deliver children born to slaves and white women whilst also taking care of her children.

In search of richer pastures, Smith made strides to move to San Bernardino, California which was considered a free state in 1850. This meant the law prohibited people from owning slaves thereby deeming any enslaved brought into the state free upon entry.

The efficiency in communication networks developed by freed Black persons ensured that any and every Black person coming into California was closely monitored and potentially informed of their rights to freedom, whilst in California. The Smiths knew this but refused to oblige the states' law and proceeded to hold their enslaved captive for four years.

After four years and with growing anti-slavery sentiments in California, Smith made plans to move to Texas with his slaves.

Aware of the Smiths' plan, the Black community rallied together and made efforts to stop him. They hired legal counsel for Biddy prohibiting Robert Smith from journeying to Texas with his slaves. Backed by support from the Black community, Biddy petitioned the courts to grant her freedom. She was granted that freedom in 1856 by Judge Benjamin Hayes.

With her newfound freedom, she remained in Los Angeles, worked as a nurse, and ran a midwifery business gaining respect and reputation in the field. At the time, she earned $2 a day, eventually saving $250 after ten years.

Real estate Journey

While she is not considered an inventor, what Biddy was is a shrewd and enterprising businesswoman with a philanthropic edge. Her desire for financial independence led her to take a leap and make investments in real estate.

In 1866 at age 48, with the $250 saved, she made her first real estate investment. She purchased a lot (about 10 acres of land) and became one of the first black women to do so. The land was bounded between Broadway and Spring Street in LA. This small step of faith helped secure her future and that of her children.

The land served multiple purposes; she used it for gardening, built small rental properties and storage spaces to supplement her income. She continued to rent out these accommodations for the next 18 years.

As time went on her early investments became well sought after major urban real estate, leading to her wealth. In 1884, at the age of 66, she sold part of the land she purchased- now the heart of downtown LA for $1500 and proceeded to erect a commercial building. In that same year, she sold another lot on Olive Street, for $2,800 which she purchased in 1868 for $375.

Whilst making strides with her real estate investments, she never forgot to give back.

Often referred to as 'Grandma Mason' for her kind and giving nature, she sheltered, donated to numerous charities, fed the poor, and visited prisoners in local jails bringing gifts and aid along with her. She also played a pivotal role in founding an elementary school for Black children.

With her wealth, she is said to have established a daycare center for working parents and set up a supply fund for families who lost their homes in flooding. Most notably, she donated the land where the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of LA (FAME) was founded, in addition to serving as a founding member which still stands today.

Why I Admire Her

I am inspired by Biddys ability to create her own lane- merging business shrewdness with compassion.

Her exemplary life goes beyond the practicality of business and the humility of philanthropy. Personally, when I consider her life, what she was able to achieve at a time where all the odds were stacked against her, is the makings of what it takes to achieve your dreams- business or personal.

Here are what I learned from her;

• Going after your dream IS a leap of faith- Going after your dreams whether personal or business requires a stubborn leap of faith. Biddy and most successful entrepreneurs understand this. They understand that action is the key to moving the needle in the direction of your intention. Biddy demonstrates that you do not have to see the full picture to take a step. However, having a strong desire backed by action, IS the way to change personal circumstances.
• The Simplest ideas can birth the greatest things- Biddys’ simple desire for financial independence drove her efforts to invest in real estate. She shows me that big things come from the most simple and humblest of ideas- a staunch 'why'. Consider the simplicity in ideas like the dating app, Bumble where women take charge founded by Whitney Wolfe Herd, or a sanitary belt founded by the inimitable and often forgotten Mary Kenner. These women show that your ideas, your desire for change do not have to be propelled by something complicated.
• Community is the basis of business-Whilst the focus of business is mostly to make a profit, community plays a key and pivotal role in solidifying a brand, communicating personal reputation and personal value. Biddy exemplified this whether she knew it or not. She demonstrated corporate social responsibility in action, which still plays a major role in contemporary society's business performance. Though she and her family were comfortable, she made sure to actively take care of the less fortunate in her surrounding community with no expectation. We often pay attention to organizations and indeed people whose CSR is lacking. We call them to task, in hopes that they improve their actions. The bottom line, tending to your community as you grow improves your personal and professional ROI. This is why major organizations and powerful people take the necessary steps to improve their image by giving back.

Biddy stands as an exemplary figure demonstrating what is possible even when the odds are stacked against you. She shows people the possibilities in taking risks and opportunities, whilst working hard, making smart moves, and serving your community as you go along.

She died in 1891 and was considered one of Los Angeles’s greatest philanthropists. This is a remarkable feat for a woman who could not read or write, yet who still found it within herself to make intentional strides to make a difference in her life, and that of her community.

She was the embodiment of the power of silent transformation, the much-needed change and kindness, no one saw coming. What an honor.