Clark Atlanta is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Southern United States.

When white missionary Reverend Frederick Ayer, along with his wife, arrived in Atlanta in November 1865 under the auspices of the American Missionary Association, the AMA church purchased a boxcar for $310 (~$6,170 in 2023) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and sent it to Friendship by the Ninth Street Baptist Church of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Tate and Daniels readily transferred their responsibilities to Ayer, who was better prepared to lead the educational effort, in 1865.

White was the half-brother of founder James Tate and was the co-founder of the Augusta Institute in 1867, which would become Morehouse College.

Its first graduating class was in 1873 (normal school for future teachers including women), and it awarded its first six bachelor's degrees in June 1876.

By the end of World War I, the Northern philanthropists were demanding mergers to improve educational quality.

Historically, the hall is significant to the city, state, and nation for its role in providing higher education to Blacks in this country.

This Atlanta architect was active during the late nineteenth and very early twentieth centuries, but few of his works have survived.

The three-story, red brick structure is also an excellent example of the High Victorian style, its clock tower a rare sight in Atlanta.

Over its 138-year history, Fountain Hall has served as the location for administrative offices, as well as a number of other university activities, contributing greatly to the cultural fabric of the city through the education of its citizens.

From its construction in 1882 until 1929, Fountain Hall primarily functioned as the administration building for Atlanta University, though it contained a chapel, library, recitation rooms, and laboratories during various times in its history.

Fountain Hall has been a gathering place and focus of activity in the education process of many of the mostly Black Americans attending the university and college since its construction.

Because of the building's location, Fountain Hall can be seen from some distance and has long served as an impressive and identifying landmark for the historic Atlanta University Center.

In the early 1930s, Morris Brown College was in financial trouble and was forced to give up its property at Houston and Boulevard.

[22] The Atlanta University 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.

In 1957, the controlling boards of the six institutions (Atlanta University; Clark, Morehouse, Morris Brown and Spelman Colleges; and Gammon Theological Seminary) ratified new articles of affiliation.

The influence of Atlanta University has been extended through professional journals and organizations, including Phylon, and through the work of Dr. W. E. B.

His dedication to academic excellence and rejection of racial inferiority influenced other black colleges and American education in general.

An early benefactor, Bishop Gilbert Haven, visualized Clark as the "university" of all the Methodist schools founded for the education of freedmen.

[27] In September 2021, Clark Atlanta launched a 10-year $250 million capital campaign to raise scholarhips funds for more low-income students, advance research and teaching efforts, improve infrastructure and technology on campus, and to establish more endowment chairs and professorships.

[36] Clark Atlanta's social work graduate program consistently ranks among the 100 best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

[42] All new undergraduate students are required to attend "CAU Experience," five days of events orchestrated to acquaint them with the legacy, culture, and community of Clark Atlanta University.

The preeminent scheduled event is the ceremony in which new undergraduate students are officially inducted as CAU Panthers.

Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football and track & field; women's sports include basketball, cross country, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.