Dr. Dorothy Height, Dr. Vada Somerville, Juanita Miller, Louise Grooms, Eunice H. Carter, Mamie Davis and others at a gathering, Los Angeles, 1950s

Item Overview

Title

Dr. Dorothy Height, Dr. Vada Somerville, Juanita Miller, Louise Grooms, Eunice H. Carter, Mamie Davis and others at a gathering, Los Angeles, 1950s

Alternative title

Somerville community activities (2)

Date Created

[1950s]

Date

1950/1960

Collection

Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Notes

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.
Dorothy I. Height graduated from New York University (1934) with a B.S. in Education and an M.A. in Educational Psychology. She was a social worker in Harlem and went on to become a leader in the YWCA. She became the 4th president of the National Council of Negro Women, leading the NCNW during the civil rights era. In that capacity, she helped organize the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Height received the Citizens Medal Award from President Ronald Reagan, and in 2004, Height was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal. The same year, Height was inducted into the Democracy Hall of Fame International. She also received an estimated 24 honorary degrees.
Dorothy Height (seated center with the white flowers on her hat), Dr. Vada Somerville (standing, 3rd from left), Juanita Miller (standing, 3rd from right) and others at a gathering in a living room with Louise Grooms, Eunice H. Carter, Beulah [...], Lucille [...], and Mamie Davis.
Eunice Huntington Carter received her B.A. and M.A. from Smith College, and her law degree from Fordham University. She was the first African American woman to pass the New York State Bar (1934). She was an international peace and women's rights activist, a political office seeker and crime fighter. [BlackPast.org]
Juanita Ellsworth Miller was the Deputy Director of the Department of Social Welfare for the State of California, a chartered member of the Allied Arts League and a life member of the NAACP. She was married to judge Loren Miller.

Caption

Written on back of photo: Louise Grooms, Eunice Huntington Carter, Beulah [...], Lucille C[...], Mamie Davis.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Keywords

Genre

group portraits

Names

Miller, Juanita, 1904-1970
Carter, Eunice Huntington, 1899-1970
Davis, Mamie
Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972
Grooms, Louise
Height, Dorothy I. (Dorothy Irene), 1912-2010

Subject Geographic

Los Angeles (Calif.)

Resource type

still image

Subjects

African American civil rights workers
African American women lawyers
African American dentists