Clark Atlanta University—First Stop on “At the Vanguard: Making and Saving History at HBCUs” Nine-city Tour

Atlanta, GA, September 1, 2026 — On Thursday, September 17, “At the Vanguard: Making and Saving History at HBCUs” will make its traveling debut at the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum (CAUAM). The exhibit celebrates the legacy of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), showcasing collections from five HBCU museums and archives, including Clark Atlanta University, Florida A & M University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University, and Tuskegee University.

Danille Taylor, Ph.D., director of the CAUAM, says the exhibit is critical to the transmission and preservation of African American history, particularly where gaps are left by other institutions. “We are excited to feature this exhibition that highlights how art can document history in ways not readily acknowledged. This unique exhibition is our gift to Atlanta, demonstrating the powerful community of practice the HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium developed over five years of partnership with the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The programming we will feature is meant to be enlightening and inclusive,” she said.

“At the Vanguard” includes artifacts, visual art, historical documents, and multimedia, with first edition works by Margaret Walker, archival photography, the original typewriter that W.E.B. DuBois used at Atlanta University, and artwork by greats such as Elizabeth Catlett and John Biggers, among others. The works showcase the robust collections of HBCUs and speak to their contributions to innovation in the arts, education, sciences, medicine, and technology. 

A collaboration between the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, “At the Vanguard” is part of the museum’s HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium Initiative, which was made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and a bequest from Dr. Beryl Carter Rice.

The exhibition is supported by CBRE, Google Arts & Culture, Johnson & Johnson, the National Museum of African American History & Culture Corporate Leadership Council, NMAAHC’s Members, Southern Company Foundation, The TJX Companies, Inc. and TOYOTA. The exhibition will remain at the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum through Friday, December 11, and will be available during museum hours. For more information and operating hours, visit the CAU Art Museum webpage.

About Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University was formed with the consolidation of Atlanta University and Clark College. Atlanta University, established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association, was the nation’s first institution to award graduate degrees to African Americans. Clark College, established four years later in 1869, was the nation’s first four-year liberal arts college to serve a primarily African American student population. Today, with nearly 4,000 students, CAU is the largest of the four institutions (CAU, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Morehouse School of Medicine) that comprise the Atlanta University Center Consortium. It is also the largest of the 37-member UNCF institutions. CAU offers a wide range of bachelor, master and doctorate degree programs in business, education, public administration, and social work and in innovative fields such as cyber-physical systems.

Notable alumni include: James Weldon Johnson, poet, and songwriter of Lift Every Voice and Sing “The Black National Anthem”; Ralph David Abernathy Sr., American civil rights activist; Congressman Hank Johnson, Georgia District 4; Kenya Barris, American award-winning television and movie producer; Kenny Leon, Tony Award-winning Broadway Director; and Jacque Reid, Emmy Award-winning Television Personality and Journalist. To learn more about Clark Atlanta University, visit www.cau.edu.