Biddy Mason: Time and Place

Graphic Designer Sheila Levrant de Bretteville ventured into public art in 1989 with her 80-foot-long public art installation, Biddy Mason: Time and Place, celebrating the life of Bridget “Biddy” Mason (1818-1891). Mason was California's first Black female real estate entrepreneur and philanthropist. Born enslaved, Mason became one of the first prominent citizens and landowners in Los Angeles in the 1850s and 1860s. She had a variety of skills and developed knowledge of medicine, child care, and livestock care.