Names: Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972 / Subject Topic: African American dentists - 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:: [1950s]
Resource Type:: still image
Photographer:: Smith, Irving C.
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

Description:: Dr. Vada Somerville (standing, right) with five other women at an event.
Date:: [circa 1960]
Resource Type:: still image
Photographer:: Rothschild Photo (Los Angeles, Calif.)
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:: November 2, 1953
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description:: Studio portrait of Dr. Vada Somerville wearing a fringed, embroidered shawl over her dress, standing in front of a velvet drapery panel.
Date:: [1920s]
Resource Type:: still image
Photographer:: California Studio
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description:: Anne F. O'Ferrall was the President of the Metropolitan branch of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) from 1948 to 1952.
Date:: January 17-18, 1950
Resource Type:: still image
Photographer:: Blakeley Avalon Photographers (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description:: Dr. Vada Somerville standing beside a flower bed with waist-high flowers.
Date:: [1950-1970]
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description:: Marian Anderson, contralto, holding a bouquet of roses in her dressing room, posing with six other women, including Vada Somerville (3rd from right).
Date:: [1940s]
Resource Type:: still image
Photographer:: Atlas Photo by Charles (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Description:: Page 64 from a University of Southern California yearbook with graduation portraits of four students, top to bottom: Dalton Robert Smith, Verne James Smith, Vada Jetmore Somerville and Robert Burns. Stevenson.
Date:: 1918
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:: January 17-18, 1950
Resource Type:: still image
Collection:: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

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