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. John A. Somerville poses for a group portrait on a outside of a house with thirteen other men and women. Photographer's stamp on back of photo: Hal Boucher / Biltmore Hotel / Santa Barbara, California
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b14_f11_019a.tif ark:/21198/z1rr3gbq
Subject
African American civil rights workers African American businesspeople African American dentists Somerville, John Alexander, 1881-1973
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.
