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. 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). Party in a private home attended by approximately 40 African Americans in formal dress, with several women wearing flowers. Identified guests include J. J. "Kelly" Williams (seated, left); John F. Simmons (seated, 2nd from left); Dr. Henry R. Butler (standing, left); his wife, Reba Butler (seated, center, 2nd row with just her head showing); Dr. Vada Somerville (seated, in front of Dr. Butler); Dr. John Somerville (standing, 5th from right); and Norman Houston (seated, front and center). Dr. Henry R. Butler graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1926; studied internal medicine at London Hospital on a Rosenwald Fellowship; headed a 1,000 bed military station hospital at Fort Huachuca, Arizona; and established his practice in Los Angeles in 1946. He was married to Reba Butler. A. J. "Kelly" Williams was a civic leader and vice president public service officer at Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company. Norman O. Houston was the president of the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, at one time the largest black-owned business west of the Mississippi. He was the son of a pioneer California family, grew up in Oakland, and was a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. Houston was a lieutenant in World War I and was a captain of the California state guard, reserve Written on front of photo: Kelly Williams, Henry Butler, Jackson, John Simmons, Rheba Butler. Written on back of photo: Please credit photo by Irving C. Smith
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b16_f10_014a.tif ark:/21198/z1q546qj
Subject
African American physicians Insurance executives African American businesspeople African American dentists African American civic leaders Houston, Norman O. (Norman Oliver), 1893-1981 Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973 Butler, Henry R., 1899-1988 Butler, Reba May, 1915-1989 Simmons, John F. (John Few), 1915-1995 Somerville, Vada, 1885-1972 Williams, A. J. (Arthur Joseph), 1903-1966
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