Mary McLeod Bethune and John A. Somerville at an event, between 1940-1955

Title: Mary McLeod Bethune and John A. Somerville at an event, between 1940-1955
Alternative title: Somerville community activities (1)
Date Created: [between 1940-1955]
Collection: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description: Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was an American educator, stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian and civil rights activist best known for starting a private school for African-American students in Daytona Beach, Florida. She also was appointed as a national adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of what was known as his Black Cabinet.
Mary Mcleod Bethune wearing a corsage and seated at a banquet table with D. John A. Somerville.
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.

Genre: photographs
Names: Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973
Bethune, Mary McLeod, 1875-1955
Resource type: still image
Subjects: African American women politicians
African American dentists
African American civil rights workers