Drs. Vada and John Somerville with twenty-six others at an unidentified event, Los Angeles, 1950s-1960s

Title: Drs. Vada and John Somerville with twenty-six others at an unidentified event, Los Angeles, 1950s-1960s
Alternative title: Somerville community activities (2)
Photographer: Adams, Harry H., 1918-1988
Date Created: [1950s-1960s]
Collection: OpenUCLA Collections
Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection

Description: Dr. Vada Somerville (born Vada Jetmore Watson) of Pomona graduated from USC, married dentist John Alexander Somerville (1912), was the first African American woman and the second African American person to graduate from USC School of Dentistry (1918), and was the first African American woman certified to practice dentistry in the state of California. She was a civil rights activist, highly involved in several civic and community organizations.
Dr. Vada Somerville seated (2nd right). Dr. John Somerville standing behind her (3rd from the right). Special event depicting prominent African Americans gathered around a table.
Dr. John Somerville, born in Jamaica, was the first black graduate of USC School of Dentistry (1907). He married Vada Jetmore Watson (1912), who also became a dentist. He built the Somerville Hotel (1928), was instrumental in the founding of the Los Angeles chapter of NAACP (1914), and served on the Police Commission 1949-1953.
Caption: Photographer's stamp on back of photo: Please credit photo / by / Harry H. Adams / 4223 So. Avalon Blvd. AD 2-9497 / Los Angeles, Calif.

Genre: photographs
Subject topic: African American civic leaders
African American dentists
African American civil rights workers
African American businesspeople
Names: Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973
Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972
Subject geographic: Los Angeles (Calif.)
Resource type: still image