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L.A. renames Pershing Square after Biddy Mason, founder of L.A.'s First AME Church
Summary by The Los Angeles Editorial Desk Sandra McDonald , as published by Los Angeles Times - California
· September 4, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: Los Angeles Times - California · view original
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Summary created by The Los Angeles Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Sandra McDonald, as published by Los Angeles Times - California Original story Read at the source Source published Sep 4, 2026 Indexed here Sep 4, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key points The square was previously named after a WWI general, a designation that dated back to 1918. A public square has been renamed after Biddy Mason, a Black community leader.
A public square has been renamed after Biddy Mason, a Black community leader. Mason was the founder of the First AME Church. The square was previously named after a WWI general, a designation that dated back to 1918. Supporters of the name change argue that Mason has greater significance than the general.
The decision to rename the square is a recognition of Mason's importance. Further details about the renaming and its significance are available.
The name change reflects a reevaluation of the square's original namesake and the desire to honor a figure with deeper connections to the community.
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Category: News Published: September 4, 2026 Source: Los Angeles Times - California Reading time: 1 min
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What is this story about? A public square has been renamed after Biddy Mason, a Black community leader. Mason was the founder of the First AME Church. The square was previously named after a WWI general, a designation that…
When was this published? This article was first published on September 4, 2026 by Los Angeles Times - California and curated for The Los Angeles readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Sandra McDonald at Los Angeles Times - California. To learn more about how The Los Angeles selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
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