Harvard Blvd. residence of Drs. John and Vada Somerville, Los Angeles, 1944-1950

Title: Harvard Blvd. residence of Drs. John and Vada Somerville, Los Angeles, 1944-1950
Alternative title: Somerville residences
Date Created: [1944-1950]
Collection: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

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.
Exterior view of the house of Drs. John and Vada Somerville at 2401 Harvard Blvd.
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.