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Dr. Vada Somerville and Bill Watkins look at a document, Los Angeles, 1950s

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Title: Dr. Vada Somerville and Bill Watkins look at a document, Los Angeles, 1950s
Alternative Title: Somerville community activities (1)
Contributor: Smith, Irving C.
Date Created and/or Issued: [1950s]
1950/1960
Contributing Institution: UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library
Collection: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
Rights Information: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
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.
Bill Watkins converted a 1920s apartment building into the Hotel Watkins and the Rubaiyat Room jazz club in 1945. The building is located at 2022 W Adams Blvd.
Dr. Vada Somerville and Bill Watkins smile as they look at a piece of paper that they both hold.
Photographer's stamp on back of photo: Please credit photo by Irving C. Smith
Type: image
Identifier: uclalsc_1889_b14_f10_045a.tif
ark:/21198/z14474kf
Subject: Politicians
African American civil rights workers
African American businesspeople
Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972
Watkins, Bill
Source: Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
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