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. 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. Drs. John and Vada Somerville standing behind the banquet table at their 35th wedding anniversary party. This is at their home at 2401 Harvard Blvd. where the Somervilles lived from 1944 to 1950/51. Photographer's stamp on back of photo: Photograph by / Jim Gilwee / Hollywood California / #640
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b14_f03_007a.tif ark:/21198/z15f08ww
Subject
Wedding anniversaries African American civil rights workers African American businesspeople African American dentists Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973 Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
