Clark Atlanta University


Clark Atlanta University is a private Methodist historically black university in Atlanta, Georgia. Clark Atlanta University is the first HBCU in the Southern United States. Founded September 19, 1865 as Atlanta University consolidated with Clark College to form Clark Atlanta University in 1988.

History

Exactly three months after the end of the Civil War, Atlanta University - now Clark Atlanta University - was founded on September 19, 1865, as the first HBCU in the Southern United States. Atlanta University was the nation's first graduate institution to award degrees to African Americans in the Nation and the first to award bachelor degrees to African Americans in the South; Clark College was the nation's first four-year liberal arts college to serve African-American students. The two consolidated in 1988 to form Clark Atlanta University.
1865Atlanta University founded
1869Clark University founded
1929Atlanta University Center established
1940Clark University renamed Clark College
1988Atlanta University & Clark College consolidated, renamed Clark Atlanta University.

Atlanta University was founded September 19, 1865 by two former slaves James Tate and Grandison Daniels who in 1867 turned it over to the American Missionary Association who appointed the first president Edmund Ware; and with later assistance from the Freedmen's Bureau. Atlanta University - now Clark Atlanta University is the first HBCU in the Southern United States; and the nation's oldest graduate institution serving a predominantly African-American student body. It is the first HBCU to the founded, chartered and to conferee its first bachelors degree in the South. Atlanta University chartered October 17, 1867; offered first instruction at postsecondary level 1869; first graduating class 1873, ; and awarded its first six bachelor‘s degrees June 1876. One woman earned a bachelors degree from Atlanta University between 1876 and 1895. Seven women received bachelor's degrees from Atlanta University between 1895 - 1900. Atlanta University awarded bachelor's degrees 54 years before exclusively offering graduate degrees. In 1929–30, it began offering graduate education exclusively in various liberal arts areas, and in the social and natural forensics. It gradually added professional programs in social work, library science, and business administration. At this same time, Atlanta University affiliated with Morehouse College and Spelman College in a university plan known as the Atlanta University Center.
The campus was moved to its present site, and the modern organization of the Atlanta University Center emerged, with Clark College, Morris Brown College, and the Interdenominational Theological Center joining the affiliation later. The story of the Atlanta University over the next twenty years from 1930 includes many significant developments. Graduate Schools of Library Science, Education, and Business Administration were established in 1941, 1944, and 1946, respectively. The Atlanta School of Social Work, long associated with the university, gave up its charter in 1947 to become an integral part of the university. In 1957, the controlling Boards of the six institutions ratified new Articles of Affiliation. The new contract created the Atlanta University Center. The influence of Atlanta University has been extended through professional journals and organizations, including Phylon, and through the work of Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, a member of the center.

Clark College

Clark College, was the nation's first four-year liberal arts college to serve the primarily African-American student population. Founded in 1869 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, which later became the United Methodist Church. Clark University was chartered and incorporated in 1877; offered first instructional at postsecondary level in 1879; awarded first degree 1880; became Clark College 1940. It was named for Bishop Davis Wasgatt Clark, who was the first President of the Freedman's Aid Society and became Bishop in 1864. A sparsely furnished room in Clark Chapel, a Methodist Episcopal church in Atlanta's Summerhill section, housed the first Clark College class. In 1871, the school relocated to a new site on the newly purchased Whitehall and McDaniel Street property. In 1877, the School was chartered as Clark University.
An early benefactor, Bishop Gilbert Haven, visualized Clark as the "university" of all the Methodist schools founded for the education of freedmen. After the school had changed locations several times, Bishop Haven, who succeeded Bishop Clark, was instrumental in acquiring in South Atlanta, where in 1880 the school conferred its first degree. Also in 1883, Clark established a theology department. Named for Dr. Elijah H. Gammon, the Gammon School of Theology in 1888 became an independent theological seminary. It is part of the Interdenominational Theological Center. Clark College merged with Atlanta University July 1, 1988 to form Clark Atlanta University through consolation.

Campus

Clark Atlanta University's main campus houses 37 buildings on and is from downtown Atlanta.

Residential facilities

All undergraduate students with under 58 credits hours are required to live on campus.

Academics

Clark Atlanta offers undergraduate and graduate degrees through the following schools:
Clark Atlanta is the most comprehensive institution in the Atlanta University Center offering over 40 degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.
The Isabella T. Jenkins Honors Program is a highly selective academic program established to provide a close-knit and uniquely stimulating community for high-achieving undergraduates at Clark Atlanta University.
Clark Atlanta is annually ranked on the list of The Washington Monthly "Best Colleges and Universities" and consistently ranked a top 20 HBCU by US News & World Report.
Clark Atlanta's social work graduate program consistently ranks among the 100 best in the nation by US News & World Report.
Clark Atlanta's Center for Functional Nanoscale Measures has produced more black Ph.D.s in Nanoscale Science than any HBCU in the nation.

Student life

Student body

Annually between 25-30% of students are Georgia residents, while the remaining come from outside Georgia. Approximately 20% of students are male and 80% are female. In 2018, 89% of students identified as African-American/Black, 7% identified as Other/Unknown, and 4% identified as International.

CAU Experience

All new undergraduate students are required to attend "CAU Experience", which is five days of events orchestrated to help them get better acquainted with the legacy, traditions, culture, and community of Clark Atlanta University. The preeminent scheduled event of "CAU Experience" is the formal induction ceremony where new undergraduate students are officially inducted as Clarkites. "CAU Experience" is mostly led by enthusiastic and trained student leaders known as "OGs" which is an abbreviation for Orientation Guides.

Athletics

Clark Atlanta University, known athletically as the Panthers, competes within the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Division II. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

Marching band

The university's marching band is known as the Mighty Marching Panther Band. "Essence" is the dance-line featured with the marching band. The band was featured in the 2002 movie Drumline.

National fraternities and sororities

All nine of the National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations have chapters established at Clark Atlanta University. Other Greek letter organizations registered on campus include Sigma Alpha Iota, Gamma Sigma Sigma, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Tau Beta Sigma and Gamma Phi Delta.

National Pan-Hellenic Council

Two percent of undergraduate men and three percent of undergraduate women are active in CAU's National Pan-Hellenic Council.
OrganizationChapterFoundedStatusNotes
Alpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi January 28, 1927ActiveFive-Time International Chapter of the Year
Alpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Pi May 21, 1930ActiveFirst undergraduate chapter chartered in South Atlantic Region
Kappa Alpha PsiGamma Kappa November 23, 1948InactiveThe chapter is under an involuntary "cease and desist" order
Omega Psi PhiBeta Psi December 22, 1923ActiveFirst fraternity chartered on the campus of Clark College
Delta Sigma ThetaSigma May 6, 1931ActiveFirst and oldest chapter in the South
Phi Beta SigmaPsi December 27, 1935Active
Zeta Phi BetaPsi January 17, 1931Active
Sigma Gamma RhoPhi 1937Active
Iota Phi ThetaEpsilon Beta 2000Active

Student media

The CAU Panther

The CAU Panther is the student newspaper.

CAU-TV

CAU-TV is a public access channel licensed by Comcast to the university.

WSTU

WSTU is the CAU student-run internet radio station.

WCLK

CAU operates WCLK, Atlanta’s only jazz radio station and one of the longest running in the world.

Notable alumni

This is a list of notable alumni which includes graduates, non-graduate former students, and current students of Atlanta University, Clark College, Clark University, and/or Clark Atlanta University. It does not include other notable persons who may have attended Clark Atlanta University as cross-registered students.

Rich

Notable faculty