BHM ; A Biddy Biddy Mason
Let me start by saying that www.dopedoulatren.com is a toddler! I cannot believe it’s been three whole ass years!!! I am grateful and thankful for you and your support for me.
Happy Black History Month, Village! I love black history month. It is dead ass one of my favorite times of the year. So… for the next few weeks, I am going to share some black history as it relates to maternal health and gynecology. And so… without further ado… Ima tell yall about a real and true bad bitch….
Bridget “Biddy” Mason.
Now, Biddy was born August 15, 1818 in Hancock County, Georgia. And that was an estimated birthday cause she was born into slavery. Dwights (white people) kidnapped her from her parents and gifted her as a wedding gift to a young couple. When Biddy became a young girl, she was sold over and over and she ended up with this bastard, robert marion smith.
Pause.
I’m not capitalizing white people’s names. Okay?! Ok.
Back to this robert mf.. In 1847, he converted to morman he moved his family and all the enslaved persons he “owned” to the west along with a wagon train of Morman settlers. Well, his ugly ass made her walk 1700 miles from Mississippi to Utah. That area now is known as Salt Lake City. Of the 90 men, women, and children, 34 were enslaved black people. During these trips, Biddy was responsible for breaking down camp, cooking meals, herding the cattle, and being a midwife for expecting mothers. She was known also for her homemade healing herbs.
robert and his ugly ass family decided to go further west. So, they made Biddy and her three children walk another 600 miles which is now known as San Bernardino, CA.
But that’s where they had my sis fucked up at. California was a free state. They didnt do all that shit over there. You know how us black people do… we look out for each other. Lil Biddy met some free black folks in the store and they was like “Bitch… you aint gotta put up with that shit.”
THEN… that white mf was like “pack it up, we are going to Texas”. And bitch… Biddy said fuck that shit. Her gotdamn feet probably start throbbing at the thought of walking to Texas. It’s hot af. Her free black friends gave her all the tea on the laws there and how to take her freedom and alerted the sheriff. The California sheriffs produced a court order to robert and his wife then put Biddy and her babies into protective custody.
When it was time for shit to hit the fan, robert’s ass lied talking about Biddy and nem wanted to go. Back then, it was illegal for black people to testify against whites. So, when Biddy’s lawyer didn’t show up, the judge called Biddy into his chambers and was like “so tell me what this mf did.” After Biddy dragged robert in the chambers, the judge granted Biddy and all three of her children freedom papers.
With her new freedom, she moved to Los Angeles with her children and started a small healing herbal business which landed her as a doctor's assistant. She also started her own practice as a midwife. IRS tax records show that in 1862, Biddy paid $10 for her physician’s license. Other doctors and shit were using Biddy’s remedies and tinctures to heal their patients. She never learned to read or write BUT she became fluent in Spanish. She had such a beautiful reputation for being so skilled and compassionate. I love that. Between 1856-1891, she delivered hundreds of babies of all socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds of all classes. She was in such high demand.
Bridget “Biddy” Mason at the Owens family house, Los Angeles, CA. Mason is center with white collar, ca. 1870
Miss Mamas was in her bag!! She saved her money and bought up so much property in LA. My girl was rich af. Biddy was the first black woman to own land in LA. Actually, one of the richest people in all of Los Angeles. Everybody loved her too cause she was all about community. When the floods came, she bought everything in the fucking store and left it there. She told the owner to just let whoever comes in and get what they need. LIKE WHAT?! She had a prisoner’s ministry. Sis bought a house as a refuge for newly free black people to get on their feet. Also, Biddy founded the African American Methodist Episcopal Church, which still holds one of the largest black congregations to this day. She created jobs by building schools and daycares and only hired black people. On January 15, 1891, was worth $8.3 million dollars when she died.
What a fucking woman. A true fucking boss.
In LA, there’s a “Bridget Biddy Mason Memorial Park”. I’ve never been there but I surely wanna visit and I am. You should too. This is one of my absolute favorite stories to tell and read about. I hope you learned something and feel inspired!
Thank you for reading, baby!
Love,
Your Doula
