Dr. Vada Somerville honored at People's Independent Church of Christ, Los Angeles, 1950s

Item Overview

Title

Dr. Vada Somerville honored at People's Independent Church of Christ, Los Angeles, 1950s

Alternative title

Somerville community activities (2)

Photographer

McLain's Photo Service (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Date Created

[1950s]

Date

1950/1960

Collection

Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Notes

Description

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.
The People's Independent Church of Christ was founded on October 4, 1915 with Reverend Napoleon P. Greggs as pastor.
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.
Reverend Maurice A. Dawkins was a pastor of the Peoples Independent Church of Christ. He was also president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and was active in the Urban League, the Congress of Racial Equality, and served as the western regional organizer for the March on Washington, D.C.
Dr. Vada Somerville (centered) honored at People's Independent Church of Christ, with her husband Dr. John A. Somerville (3rd from right), Reverend. Maurice A. Dawkins, and an unidentified man and woman (left).

Caption

Photographer's stamp on back of photo: McLain's Photo Service / 24 Hour Service / 1168 East 47th Place / AD 1-9732 Los Angeles 11, Calif.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Keywords

Genre

Portrait photographs

Names

People's Independent Church of Christ
Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973
Dawkins, Maurice A. (Maurice Anderson), 1921-2001
Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972

Subject Geographic

Los Angeles

Resource type

still image

Subjects

African American civil rights workers
African American clergy
Award presentations
African American dentists