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. Miriam Matthews was hired in 1927 as the first African American librarian in the Los Angeles Public Library. Matthews was also a civil rights activist, historian, and collector of African American art and primary source materials. She was the sister of businesswoman Ella Matthews and lawyer Charles Matthews, 50th wedding anniversary celebration, left to right: Miriam Matthews, Dr. Vada Somerville, Mrs. William Pickens, Dr. Alice Garrott, Mrs. Alexander. Matthews is holding the certificate of honor for Drs. John and Vada Somerville on their 50th anniversary, from the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles. This is at their home at 2014 Virginia Road where the Somervilles lived from 1952 to at least 1962. Minnie Pickens was the wife of William Pickens, a writer, orator, and official of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). 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. Alice Watkins Garrott was a dentist who married dentist. Dr. Alva Curtis Garrott.
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image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b14_f10_004a.tif ark:/21198/z1dr4ckw
Subject
Wedding anniversaries African American civil rights workers African American businesspeople African American dentists Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973 Matthews, Miriam Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972 Garrott, Alice Watkins, 1889-1985 Pickens, Minnie, b. 1880
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