| Historic Azusa Street Revival had relationship to the renowned First AME Church (FAME) of Los Angeles. |
| Once abandoned, it was purchased by William J. Seymour in 1907. |
| Pictured left to right are Bishop J. Bernard Hackworth and Cecil "Chip" Murray, pastor of the First AME Church, Los Angeles in 2004. |
Another tidbit of history - The original owner of the building was a black woman, Biddy Mason, (No
relation to Bishop Mason) who helped establish the first Black Church in Los Angeles "FAME"
relation to Bishop Mason) who helped establish the first Black Church in Los Angeles "FAME"
| Bridget "Biddy" Mason |
Bridget ("Biddy") Mason (1818-1891) was born a slave on a Mississippi
plantation. When her owner, Robert M. Smith, became a Mormon convert in
1847, Mason and her three daughters joined his family on a 2,000-mile trek to the
Utah Territory during which Mason was responsible for herding the cattle,
preparing the meals and serving as midwife. Four years later, Smith moved his
household to San Bernardino County, Calif., where Brigham Young was starting a
Mormon community. California being a free state, Mason and her daughters
petitioned the court for their freedom, which was granted in 1856.
Mason moved to Los Angeles where she worked as a nurse and midwife. A
decade after gaining her freedom, she had saved enough to buy a site on Spring
Street for $250, thereby becoming one of the first African-American women to
own land in Los Angeles. In 1884, she sold part of the property for $1,500 and
built a commercial building on the remaining land. Over the years, her wise
business and real estate transactions enabled her to accumulate a fortune of almost
$300,000. Mason gave generously to charities, visited jail inmates, and provided
food and shelter for the poor of all races.
plantation. When her owner, Robert M. Smith, became a Mormon convert in
1847, Mason and her three daughters joined his family on a 2,000-mile trek to the
Utah Territory during which Mason was responsible for herding the cattle,
preparing the meals and serving as midwife. Four years later, Smith moved his
household to San Bernardino County, Calif., where Brigham Young was starting a
Mormon community. California being a free state, Mason and her daughters
petitioned the court for their freedom, which was granted in 1856.
Mason moved to Los Angeles where she worked as a nurse and midwife. A
decade after gaining her freedom, she had saved enough to buy a site on Spring
Street for $250, thereby becoming one of the first African-American women to
own land in Los Angeles. In 1884, she sold part of the property for $1,500 and
built a commercial building on the remaining land. Over the years, her wise
business and real estate transactions enabled her to accumulate a fortune of almost
$300,000. Mason gave generously to charities, visited jail inmates, and provided
food and shelter for the poor of all races.
When a flood devastated Los Angeles in the 1880s, Mason had food prepared for the flood victims and paid the bills herself. In
1872, she and her son-in-law, Charles Owens, founded and financed the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los
Angeles, the city’s first African-American church.
When Mason died in 1891 she was buried in an unmarked grave at Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights. Nearly a century later,
on March 27, 1988, in a ceremony attended by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and 3,000 members of the First AME Church,
a tombstone was unveiled which marked her grave for the first time. -- Contributed by Albert Greenstein, 1999
1872, she and her son-in-law, Charles Owens, founded and financed the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los
Angeles, the city’s first African-American church.
When Mason died in 1891 she was buried in an unmarked grave at Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights. Nearly a century later,
on March 27, 1988, in a ceremony attended by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and 3,000 members of the First AME Church,
a tombstone was unveiled which marked her grave for the first time. -- Contributed by Albert Greenstein, 1999
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| 312 AZUSA STREET Site of the First AME Church in 1900, prior to being purchased by William J. Seymour in 1906. |