Names: Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973 - UCLA Library Digital Collections Search Results

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.
Date:: [circa 1928]
Resource Type:: still image
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.
Date:: October 16, 1947
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description:: Reverend Canon Lewis Penrose Bohler, Jr., was the rector of the Episcopal Church of the Advent in West Adams for 35 years, from about 1961-1996. One of the few African American Episcopal priests in Southern California during the civil rights struggles of the 1960s, Bohler participated in dialogues and demonstrations in Los Angeles and made two trips to Selma, Alabama in 1965 during the civil rights marches. Bohler was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Education and served on the State Board Of Education and the Los Angeles Unified School District Board.
Date:: [1950s-1960s]
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

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.
Date:: [1944-1945]
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description:: Photograph appears with the article, "Rep. Diggs reiterates vow to challenge Miss. seats," Los Angeles Sentinel, 1 Dec. 1955: A1.
Date:: [1950s-1960s]
Resource Type:: still image
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.
Date:: March 21, 1951
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description:: Dr. John A. Somerville seated behind his desk during his campaign for Los Angeles City Council, 10th District.
Date:: [1960s]
Resource Type:: still image
Photographer:: Sheffield, Maceo B. (Maceo Bruce), 1897-1959
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.
Date:: [1950s]
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

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.
Date:: [1960s]
Resource Type:: still image
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.
Date:: October 16, 1962
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

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