Dr. Vada Somerville (left), First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and an unidentified woman, at a reception honoring Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt hosted by Vada Somerville in her home. This is probably at the house at 2401 Harvard Blvd. Reported in, "Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt will not campaign for son for Calif. governor," Los Angeles Sentinel, 19 Jan. 1950: A2. 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. Written on the back of photo: Dr. Vada Somerville Community leader and President of the L.A. chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, opened her home for a reception honoring Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt.
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b14_f13_001a.tif ark:/21198/z12z2pm8
Subject
African American civic leaders African American civil rights workers First ladies Receptions African American dentists Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962 Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972
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