IDKMYDE: Biddy Mason

On today’s episode of IDKMYDE we introduce, Biddy Mason. “Biddy” was the original boss who went from enslaved to real estate mogul, proving you can turn oppression into opportunity—and still have time to build churches and schools on the side. Forget history books, she’s the blueprint!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, y'all on today's episode. If I didn't know,
maybe you didn't either. Let's talk about someone you probably
didn't learn about in school, Bitty Mason. And if you're like,
who's Bitty Mason? Don't worry. In the words of the
great Michael Jackson, you are nine alone. History books really
be out here acting like they on a budget for
black excellence, don't they. I didn't know. Maybe you didn't know.

(00:24):
I didn't know. Maybe I didn't No, I didn't know.
Maybe I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know.
So Betty Mason born in eighteen eighteen, enslaved in Georgia,
and listen, they didn't even give her a last name,
just Betty, like naming someone. Hey, you, the disrespect started
at birth in those periods. Anyways, Bitty gets dragged across

(00:47):
the country by her and slavers. Ends up in California,
and guess what. Slavery was illegal there. But do you
think her owner cared? Of course not. Colonauza from the
South pretty much acted like he was immune to the
California you loss. Now, Bitty with no last name, could
have stayed quiet, but nah, she was a black woman,
you know, that wasn't happening. She went to court, and y'all,

(01:09):
in eighteen fifty six, she won her freedom and her
kids freedom. Now, let's just pause on that for a second.
A black woman in the eighteen fifties standing up in
court and winning. That's a boss chick before boss chick
was ever even a thing. But wait, it gets better,
because after she got free, she didn't just chill with it.
You know what I'm saying. Bittty was out here working

(01:30):
as a nurse and a midwife, stacking paper. Bitty saved
up and bought land in Los Angeles for two hundred
and fifty dollars and that land grew into a fortune
worth three hundred thousand dollars. That's millions on millions of
dollars today. Basically, she became Don peeples of real estate
before Don Peoples in real estate. And what does she

(01:51):
do with all that money? On? Did she buy a yacht? No?
Did she start flexing on TikTok? No? She gave back.
She built schools, feed the homeless, and started the first
African Methodist Episcopal church. That's right, Betty was out here
being Oprah before Oprah. So why don't we know her name.
Why are you today years old when you found out

(02:12):
about Betty Well, probably because history books be like and
we can't have her outshine in the Founding Fathers. But
we need to talk more about her because Bittty Mason
is proof that no matter where you start, you can
change the game and help others along the way. So
next time somebody asks you for a black history fact,
hit them with Bitty Mason. And when they say who's that,
look I'm dead in the eye and say I was

(02:34):
listening to I didn't know. Maybe you didn't either. And
I found out she was the original CEO of glow
Up Incorporated. And I didn't know. Maybe you didn't either.
I didn't know