Biddy Mason: A Community Celebration of Her Legacy

Saturday, November 7 | 1:00–4:00 PM Hosted by the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum Event at California State Railroad Museum (125 I Street, Sacramento) FREE event (does not include museum admission) Join us for a special community celebration honoring Biddy Mason. Born into slavery, Biddy walked roughly 3,000 miles from Georgia to California, where she won her freedom in a landmark 1856 case.

As a free woman, Biddy went on to become a healer, philanthropist, church builder, and real estate entrepreneur. Her commercial holdings came to be called the "Wall Street of the West" and laid the foundations of Black Los Angeles.

Biddy became one of the wealthiest women of color in the country by the time of her death in 1891. The Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum welcomes historian Dr.

Kevin Waite for the launch of his new book, The Boundless Biddy Mason, the first full-length biography of her life. The afternoon at the California State Railroad Museum includes a talk and Q&A with Dr.

Waite on Biddy's life and importance to California history, a book signing (copies available for purchase through Underground Books), and a conversation between Dr. Waite and "Chef Monica" Monica Graves exploring Biddy's financial legacy, community building, and entrepreneurship today.

These talks are best suited for teens and adults. Community resource tables and craft activity are for all ages, will run throughout the event in the Lobby.

Event Schedule: 1:00 – 4:00 PM — Community resource tables & family craft activity 1:15 – 2:00 PM — Talk: The Boundless Biddy Mason with author Dr. Kevin Waite: her life and importance to California history 2:00 – 2:45 PM — Book signing with Dr.

Kevin Waite (books available for purchase via Underground Books) 3:00 – 3:30 PM — In Conversation: Kevin Waite & "Chef Monica" Monica Graves: Biddy Mason's financial legacy, community building, and entrepreneurship today