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. The People's Independent Church of Christ was founded on October 4, 1915 with Reverend Napoleon P. Greggs as pastor. 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. Reverend Maurice A. Dawkins was a pastor of the Peoples Independent Church of Christ. He was also president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and was active in the Urban League, the Congress of Racial Equality, and served as the western regional organizer for the March on Washington, D.C. Dr. Vada Somerville (centered) honored at People's Independent Church of Christ, with her husband Dr. John A. Somerville (3rd from right), Reverend. Maurice A. Dawkins, and an unidentified man and woman (left). Photographer's stamp on back of photo: McLain's Photo Service / 24 Hour Service / 1168 East 47th Place / AD 1-9732 Los Angeles 11, Calif.
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b14_f11_009a.tif ark:/21198/z12532bp
Subject
African American civil rights workers African American clergy Award presentations African American dentists People's Independent Church of Christ Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973 Dawkins, Maurice A. (Maurice Anderson), 1921-2001 Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972
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