Group portrait of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members at a national boulé meeting. Two women are identified: Dr. Vada Somerville (front row, 4th from right) and Florence Cole-Talbert (front row, 6th from right). Alpha Kappa Alpha (ΑΚΑ) is a Greek-lettered sorority, the first established by African-American college women. Membership is for college-educated women. 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. Florence Cole-Talbert was an African-American operatic soprano, music educator, and musician. Written on back of photo: Ellen Hilyer 9606 14th St. N.E. Wash D.C. / Jennie J. Wilder 1712 15th St., N.W. Wash. 9 DC / Lucille B. Wilkins 6717 Evans Ave. Chicago 37. Ill. / Barsha Stafford 4059a W. Bille Pl. St. Louis 8 Mo.
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b14_f10_027a.tif ark:/21198/z1fj40x2
Subject
Opera singers African American dentists African American Greek letter societies African American civil rights workers Cole-Talbert, Florence Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972
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