[2] Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman awarded its first college degrees in 1901 and is the oldest private historically Black liberal arts institution for women.

[10] The two traveled to Atlanta specifically to begin a school for Black freedwomen and found support from Frank Quarles, the pastor of Friendship Baptist Church.

[10] Although their first students were mostly illiterate, they envisioned their school becoming a liberal arts institution–the first circular of the college said that they planned to offer "algebra, physiology, essays, Latin, rhetoric, geometry, political economy, mental philosophy (psychology), chemistry, botany, Constitution of the United States, astronomy, zoology, geology, moral philosophy, and evidences of Christianity".

[10] The WABHMS made a down payment on a nine-acre (36,000 m2) site in Atlanta relatively close to the church where they began, which originally had five buildings left from a Union Civil War encampment, to support classroom and residence hall needs.

[11] In 1882 the two women returned to Massachusetts to bid for more money and were introduced to businessman John D. Rockefeller who was an industrialist and a Northern Baptist at a church conference in Ohio.

It was existing because of generous donations by the Black community in Atlanta, the efforts of volunteer teachers, and gifts of supplies.

Although the college was somewhat progressive, neither the founders nor the current administration were interested in challenging the status quo of young women as being primarily responsible for the family and the home.

[10] Tapley said, "Any course of study which fails to cultivate a taste and fitness for practical and efficient work in some part of the field of the world's needs is unpopular at Spelman and finds no place in our curriculum.

The college had also begun to see an improvement in extracurricular investment in the arts, with the organization of the Spelman College Glee Club in 1925,[14] inauguration of the much-loved Atlanta tradition of the annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert and smaller events such as the spring orchestra and chorus concert, the Atlanta University Summer Theater, and the University Players, a drama organization for AUC students.

In 1930 the Spelman Nursery School was created as a training center for mothers and a practice arena for students who planned careers in education and child development.

The school continued to expand, building and acquiring more property to accommodate the growing student body.

Noted American historian Howard Zinn was a professor of history at Spelman during this era, and served as an adviser to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee chapter at the college.

Edelman herself writes that Spelman had a reputation as "a tea-pouring, very strict school designed to turn Black girls into refined ladies and teachers.

"[17] Stewart retired in 1986, and the following year, Johnnetta Betsch Cole became the first Black female president of Spelman College.

[25][26] Two years later, the college received another significant donation: $40 million from philanthropists Reed Hastings and his wife Patty Quillin to be used as scholarship funds for students enrolled at Spelman.

[27] In July 2020, Spelman received a notably large undisclosed donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

[32] Some Black Women artists the museum has featured include Amy Sherald, Harmonia Rosales, Mickalene Thomas, Beverly Buchanan, Zanele Muholi, and Reneé Stout.

[40][41] Spelman ranked first among baccalaureate origin institutions of African-American women who earned science, engineering, and mathematics doctoral degrees.

In addition, Spelman has strategic partnerships with over 30 accredited universities to help students complete degree programs not offered on campus in healthcare, law, and engineering.

[47][48] Its most popular majors, by number out of 483 graduates in 2022, were:[49] The Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program is a selective academic community available to students who meet the requirements.

NSO includes events, workshops, and sessions designed to teach new Spelmanites about the mission, history, culture, traditions, and sisterhood of Spelman College; students are also given information on how to successfully matriculate to Spelman Women (graduates), such as registration, advisement, placement, and planning class schedules.

[60][61] One of Spelman's oldest traditions are Spelmanites wearing "respectable and conservative" white attire to designated formal events on campus.

The tradition began in the early 1900s when it was customary for women to wear white dresses when attending formal events.

White attire is worn to the annual NSO induction ceremony, Founders Day Convocation, Alumnae March, and graduating seniors wear white attire underneath their graduation gowns for Class Day and Commencement.

[57] Spelman also has chapters of Colleges Against Cancer, Circle K, Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, Habitat for Humanity, National Council of Negro Women, National Society of Black Engineers, Operation Smile, United Way, and Young Democrats of America.

[70] Spelman's notable alumnae include the first African-American CEO of Sam's Club and Walgreens Rosalind Brewer, Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker, former Dean of Harvard College Evelynn M. Hammonds, activist and Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman, civil rights and criminal defense lawyer Dovey Johnson Roundtree, college organist Joyce Johnson, musician, activist and historian Bernice Johnson Reagon, politician Stacey Abrams, writer Pearl Cleage, TV personality Rolonda Watts, opera singer Mattiwilda Dobbs, and actresses Cassi Davis, LaTanya Richardson, Adrienne-Joi Johnson, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Tati Gabrielle, Assemblywoman of the 18th district of New York State [71] Taylor Darling, designor and curator Sara Penn,[72] Lisa D. Cook, member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors,[73] and Pamela Gunter-Smith, the first African-American president of York College of Pennsylvania.