To the editor: What is the real goal of Councilman Kevin de León's effort to rename Pershing Square after Biddy Mason? Is it to wash his name and reputation after the scandal a couple of years ago?
Pershing Square was named in honor of John J. Pershing, commander of all American forces in Europe during World War I. He led the men credited with tipping the balance of that war toward the Allies.
The name of the park in downtown Los Angeles is not the only World War I souvenir found there. “The Doughboy”, by sculptor Humberto Pedretti, will celebrate its centenary this July 4; It pays tribute to the tens of thousands of Angelenos who served in that war, including 400 who died in the conflict and its aftermath.
In fact, the park became not only a place for historical reflection, but also a gathering place to honor the city's fallen in World War I. Later, Pershing Square also served as an important gathering place for rallies, military recruiting efforts, and Liberty Bond campaigns during World War II.
On Thanksgiving Day 1970, Pershing Square was the site of a demonstration to draw attention to prisoners of war in Vietnam. Thousands of people gathered around a bamboo cage in the center of the park. Inside, there was a man sitting with his ankles handcuffed to the floor. This incident, like many others related to the martial history of Pershing Square, has been largely forgotten.
And now De León wants to forget again. He wants to recognize Biddy Mason, which has already been venerated with a downtown park less than a half mile from Pershing Square.
Pershing Square has been a part of Los Angeles history for over 100 years. Our city has a reputation for ignoring the past, but without it we cannot truly know who we are. We must not allow De León's selfish interests to rule the day.
Courtland Jindra, Hawthorne
The writer is a volunteer for the First World War Centennial Commission.
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To the editor: Mason's life story should serve as an inspiration to the American public, beginning with the students of the Los Angeles Unified School District, then extending to all students in California, and finally reaching the other 49 states.
There are several excellent biographies about Mason, freely available at the Los Angeles Public Library. In-depth and complete knowledge of Mason's life story should be a graduation requirement for all California students.
Also, I look forward to him getting a major biopic detailing the incredible highs and lows of his life.
Just rename Pershing Square? Mason deserves so much more.
Ellen Switkes, Sherman Oaks
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To the editor: Mason already has a location (and a park) in downtown Los Angeles. It's so powerful that it serves as the cover image of an acclaimed 1997 book by historian Dolores Hayden appropriately called “The Power of Place.”
Biddy Mason Memorial Park is located next to iconic landmarks such as the Bradbury Building and Grand Central Market. It's where Biddy Mason bought land and built his house. Through monumental artworks by Sheila Levrant de Bretteville and Betye Saar, the park tells Mason's story, from enslaved woman to wealthy philanthropist.
Pershing Square should be renamed. But let's do it after the person who created it back in 1866: Cristóbal Aguilar, the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles, and the only one until the election of Antonio Villaraigosa in 2005. Aguilar also saved the Los Angeles municipal water system from privatization .
Add geographic and historical amnesia to Councilman De León's errors. Our current Biddy Mason Park is the true unsung hero of this story. It is necessary to celebrate and preserve it.
Bob Wolfe, Beautiful Beach
