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. Dr. Vada Somerville standing beside a building. Photographer's stamp on back of photo: Vera Jackson / Commercial & Portrait Photographer / Phone C[...] 24879 / Los Angeles, Calif.
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b14_f02_010a.tif ark:/21198/z1fv045f
Subject
African American civil rights workers African American dentists 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.