Founded as Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles
School opens April 11 in the basement of Friendship Baptist Church, the Rev. Frank Quarles, pastor
1882
Two more teachers commissioned by the Woman's American Baptist Home Mission Society join Packard and Giles in "basement school."
Packard and Giles introduced to John D. Rockefeller, who pledged $250 to the school
1883
Moved to present site occupying nine acres and five frame buildings
"Model School" to train student-teachers opens
1884
Name changes to Spelman Seminary in honor of Mrs. Laura Spelman Rockefeller and her parents Harvey Buel and Lucy Henry Spelman, longtime activists in the antislavery movement
1885
Spelman students print the first issue of the Spelman Messenger
Sophia Jones, M.D., the first black female to join the faculty
1886
Rockefeller Hall dedicated
The nurse training department begins
1887
First Spelman class graduates receiving high school diplomas
1888
Packard Hall dedicated
Spelman incorporated under the Board of Trustees
Charter granted by the state of Georgia
Henry L. Morehouse becomes the first president of the Board of Trustees
1889
Nora Gordon, the first student to become a missionary to Africa, leaves for the Congo
1890
Laundry building dedicated
1891
Death of Sophia Packard
Harriet Giles appointed president
Missionary training department starts
Quarles Library opens in Packard Hall
Two students from Africa, Maggie Rattray and Lena Clark, enroll
1892
Teachers professional department begins
Spelman Alumnae Association organized
1893
Giles Hall dedicated
1895
Spelman's exhibit included in Negro Building of Atlanta Cotton States Exposition
1897
College department opens
1900s
1901
Morehouse and Morgan Halls, MacVicar Hospital, and Reynolds Cottage dedicated
First college degrees granted to Jane Anna Granderson and Claudia T. White
1904
Graduate establishes school in Africa, which later includes a building named Spelman Hall
1905
Upton Home (for nurses) dedicated
1909
Death of Harriet Giles
Lucy Upton was appointed acting president
1910
Lucy Hale Tapley appointed president
Granddaughters Club organized
1917
Bessie Strong Hall dedicated
1918
The Home Economics Department begins
Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Building dedicated
1924
Named changed to Spelman College
Campus Mirror starts
1925
Tapley Hall dedicated
1927
Lucy Tapley retires
Florence Read appointed president
Sisters Chapel dedicated
Grover-Werden fountain dedicated
Spelman College Glee Club organized
First annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert, December 21, 1927
1928
Morehouse-Spelman Summer School begins
Elementary school and nurse training department discontinued
1929
Agreement of affiliation with Morehouse College and Atlanta University signed April 1
1930
Nursery school opens
High school discontinued
1931
50th anniversary celebration
University Players organized
Trevor Arnett Library dedicated
1932
"A" rating given by Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
Death of Lucy Tapley
1939
Sculpture Building opens
Senior bench first dedicated on Class Day
1942
Spelman Students Association organized
1944
Hosts conference on Current Problems and Programs in the Higher Education of Negro Women
1945
Chadwick Hall acquired from Atlanta University
1947
Joins list of approved institutions of the Association of American Universities
1948
Hosts Atlanta Student-Faculty Conference on Civil Rights
1951
Read Hall dedicated
1953
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Hall dedicated
Florence Read retires
Albert Manley becomes first Black and first male president
1956
75th anniversary celebration
Charles E. Merrill establishes Merrill Foreign Travel-Study Program
1958
Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
1959
Cooperative agreement with Henry Grady Memorial Hospital for nurse training signed
1960
First student Domestic Exchange Program begins
First students arrested following sit-ins in downtown Atlanta
Spelman students participate in Crossroads Africa Program
Atlanta University Center students draft "An Appeal for Human Rights" that is published in the Atlanta Constitution and other national newspapers on March 9
1961
Non-Western studies program instituted
Florence Read's "The Story of Spelman" College published
Becomes member of the American Association of University Women
1964
John D. Rockefeller Jr., Fine Arts Building dedicated
Dorothy Shepherd Manley Hall dedicated
1968
Howard-Harreld Hall dedicated
1969
Black Studies program instituted
1970
Opening of Margaret Nabrit Curry Collection on Women in Quarles Library
1971
Health Careers Program established
1973
Death of Florence Read
Albert E. Manley College Center opens
Sarah Sage McAlpin Hall dedicated
1974
Morehouse-James Hall dedicated
Guest House named after Dr. Helen Albro
1976
Albert Manley retires
Donald Stewart elected president
1977
Inauguration of Donald Stewart
1978
Office of Freshman Studies established
1979
Included in the Atlanta Women Exhibition, the Atlanta Historical Society
Sue Bailey Thurman International Room dedicated
Marian Wright Edelman (class of '60) first alumna elected Chair of the Board of Trustees
1980
Co-sponsors "Southern Women: From Myth to Modern Times" symposium
Spelman College honors programs created
Continuing education program started
1981
Centennial Celebration
Women's Research and Resources Center, the first at an HBCU, established
1985
Academic Computer Center opens
1986
Donald and Isabel Stewart Living-Learning Center dedicated
Donald Stewart resigns to accept the presidency of The College Board; Barbara Carter, vice president for Academic Affairs appointed acting president, 1986-1987
1987
Johnnetta Betsch Cole elected as the first Black woman president
Gift of $20 million from Drs. William (Bill) and Camille Cosby announced
1988
Spelman is listed as one of the nation's top colleges in U.S. News & World Report
The Spelman College mentorship program is established
1989
The Office of Community Service opens
Spelman's flag goes into space with Mae Jemison, the first Black woman astronaut
International Affairs Center established
1990
Nelson Mandela visits Atlanta University Center as part of his U.S. tour to raise funds for the struggle against apartheid in South Africa
1991
Spelman's Community Service Program is designated White House Point of Light #563
1992
Producers from Bill Cosby's "A Different World" visit campus to speak with students about script ideas for the fall season of the TV show
Spelman announces the receipt of $37 million from the DeWitt Wallace/Readers Digest Fund, the largest gift ever given to a historically Black college
Spelman is named the No. 1 regional liberal arts college in the South by U.S. News & World Report
1993
Spelman receives endowment from the Bonner Foundation for the Bonner Scholars Community Service Program
1994
Giles Hall dedicated on its 100th birthday
The Association of Medical Colleges ranks Spelman No. 5 among undergraduate programs for Black students accepted to medical school
Spelman makes the Top Ten list of best college buys in Money Guide magazine's "Best College Buys Now"
Maya Angelou Practice Theater dedicated in the John Rockefeller Jr. Fine Arts Building
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching ranks Spelman as a Baccalaureate I institution
1995
Spelman is one of six institutions designated by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a Model Institution for Excellence in undergraduate science and math education
1996
Official opening of The Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center and the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art
The successful capital campaign brings Spelman's endowment to $141 million, the largest of any historically black college or university
Dr. Cole announces her resignation as president of Spelman College
1997
Audrey Forbes Manley (class of '55) becomes first alumna elected President of the College
Death of Albert E. Manley, Ed.D.
1998
Spelman awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa
Becomes a provisional member of NCAA Division II in basketball, volleyball, cross-country, tennis, and track and field
Spelman ranked No. 2 on the fifth annual list of Top Ten Activist Schools by Mother Jones Magazine
1999
Spelman ranked No. 1 by Black Enterprise as the best environment for Black collegians
Two Spelman seniors receive Fulbright Post-Baccalaureate Fellowships for research study abroad
2000s
2000
Spelman ranked No. 2 by the Association of Medical Colleges in placing African-American students in medical school
Women of Excellence Leadership Series, or WEL, is inaugurated. The program is designed to provide advanced-level leadership and training to Spelman women
2001
Division of Media and Information Technology established Professor Ayoka Chenzira, an internationally noted filmmaker and visual artist, is the first recipient of the William and Camille Cosby Endowed Professorship in the Fine Arts.
Spelman's Independent Scholars Program (SIS) established to conduct extensive interviews with African-American elders to capture and preserve their stories about life in the past century Spelman hosts the 25th International Association of Philosophy and
Literature Conference. The event marked the first time a historically Black college hosted the conference
Spelman signs partnership agreement with the University of Delaware to enrich curricular and cultural offerings in the arts at both institutions
Spelman's Habitat for Humanity Chapter completes its first year of operation. More than 125 students, faculty and staff were actively involved in the chapter's programs and activities
Spelman celebrates 75th anniversary of the Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert
2002
Albro Falconer Manley Science Center is dedicated
The Lilly Foundation awards Spelman a $2 million grant to establish the Sisters Center for WISDOM, Women in Spiritual Discernment of Ministry
Spelman and all the schools in the Atlanta University Center open the University Community Academy Charter School in historic West End
Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, C'70, cultural historian and founder of legendary a cappella group, Sweet Honey in the Rock, named 2002 Cosby Professor in the Fine Arts and Dr. Shelia Walker, nationally known anthropologist and scholar named 2002 Cosby Professor in the Humanities
Dr. Audrey Forbes Manley retires, named president emerita
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum appointed ninth president of Spelman College
2003
Spelman establishes Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (LEADS)
Spelman named in the top 100 Best Liberal Arts Colleges by U.S. News and World Report
Spelman receives $4.5 million NASA grant to enhance its Women in Science and Engineering Scholars Program
Dr. Renita J. Weems, prominent author, Biblical scholar, and ordained minister, named 2003 Cosby Professor in the Humanities and Dr. William J. Darity Jr., distinguished scholar and economist, named 2003 Cosby Professor in the Social Sciences
Spelman named one of six institutions to receive $4.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities to eliminate health disparities among racial and ethnic minority groups
2004
Sisters Center for WISDOM (Women in Spiritual Discernment of Ministry) launched
Spelman's Independent Scholars Program (SIS) partners with AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons) and The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights on "Voices of Civil Rights," a project designed to collect and preserve firsthand accounts of the Civil Rights Movement
Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement sponsors first national Leadership Symposium & Conference for Women of Color, "It's Our Turn" Packard Hall renovation wins an Atlanta Urban Design Commission Award of Excellence for 2004
Atlanta University Center Inc. restructured as the Atlanta University Center Consortium.
2005
The Johnnetta Betsch Cole Living and Learning Center II is dedicated President Tatum receives 2005 Brock International Prize in Education Laureate
Spelbots participate in International Robocup as first all-female, African-American, undergraduate robotics team
2006
College breaks ground on site of future "green" dorm
Women’s Research and Resource Center celebrates 25 Years
College celebrates 125th Anniversary
2007
Descendants of Mary Mcleod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt participate in historic conversation
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first female head of state gives commencement address
Alumna Bernice A. King establishes scholarship in honor of Coretta Scott King
2008
The Suites, the College's first ‘green’ dorm opens
Department of Energy Alcove in Albro Falconer Manley Science Center dedicated
Women's Center receives $1 Million from Ford Foundation to establish endowment fund
Anonymous donor gives Spelman $17 Million for international initiatives
Chinese language courses begin
2009
$150 million capital campaign, largest in College's history launched
Junior invents top 25 Downloadable iPhone app
2010
Spelman and other AUCC institutions celebrate 50th Anniversary of The Atlanta Student Movement
Two seniors become first from HBCU to win the AT&T Big Mobile On Campus Challenge
Interlink Alliance holds inaugural conference
2011
Project Impact launches
First African-American first lady, Michelle Obama, delivers the commencement address
Gordon-Zeto Center for Global Education opens
The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, the only museum in the nation that emphasizes art by and about women of the African Diaspora, celebrated its 15th anniversary
2012
Renovation of Laura Spelman Rockefeller Hall
Wellness Revolution launched
2013
Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell becomes the 10th president of Spelman College, succeeding Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum
2014
Spelman College exceeds its comprehensive fundraising campaign goal, generating $157.8 million — the largest amount raised in the history of the institution
The Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement (LEADS), an anchor for leadership education and development for Spelman students and the larger community of women of color, celebrates the 10th anniversary of the center and its groundbreaking Leadership & Women of Color Conference, “21st Century Leadership: Leading Forward
2015
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum retires, named president emerita
Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell appointed 10th president of Spelman College
The Wellness Center at Read Hall opens
Spelman receives $2.7 million First in the World grant by the U.S. Department of Education
A new strategic plan called "Spelman LEADS," which focuses on leadership, excellence, accountability, diversity and sustainability is launched
The College receives a $2.5 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York to support student retention and success
2016
Spelman celebrates the inauguration of its 10th president, Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell
2017
The College’s Strategic Plan 2022: “Imagine, Invent, Ascend,” was created to focus on four pillars: Deliver the Spelman Promise, Elevate the Spelman Difference, Enhance Operational Excellence and Promote Academic Innovation
The Riggio Scholars Program is launched to recognize the academic achievements of Spelman students
The College receives a $30 million gift from philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband William Johnston to support scholarships, faculty development, and other initiatives
The Dr. Levi Watkins Jr. Scholars Program is launched to lay the foundation for greater inclusion for LGBTQ students at HBCUs
2018
Spelman College establishes the first-ever chair of queer studies at a historically Black college or university. It is named after Audre Lorde
The College receives a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to support undergraduate research in STEM fields
Spelman receives a $5.4 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation to support the Atlanta University Center Consortium's efforts to improve student outcomes
2019
Spelman College launches a new initiative called "Spelman Goes Green" to promote sustainability and environmental justice on campus
The College receives a $1 million grant from the Goldman Sachs Foundation to support the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement
The Atlanta University Center Collective for the Study of Art History & Curatorial Studies is launched and serves as the leading incubator of African American museum and art world professionals in the United States and abroad
2020
Spelman College moves to virtual instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The College receives a $40 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to support student scholarships and other initiatives The College was named a Fulbright Historically Black College and University Institutional Leader for the 2019-2020 academic year
Philanthropist Patty Quillin and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings give $40 million to Spelman College — the largest individual gift to date in support of student scholarship at an HBCU
2021
A new partnership between Spelman and the University of Michigan School of Public Health offer a five-year accelerated pathway program to earn a master’s degree in three public health disciplines Spelman receives $5 million grant from Google designed to help create pathways and opportunities for increased diverse representation in the STEM industry
Spelman College celebrates its 140th anniversary
In honor of their lifetime of achievements, Spelman named a renovated theater, lobby, dressing rooms and supporting areas the LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson Performing Arts Center located the John D. Rockefeller Fine Arts Building
Spelman Ascends, the public phase of the largest comprehensive campaign in the history of the institution, was launched. With a goal of $250 million, the campaign supported scholarships, endowed professorships, technology infrastructure transformation and the building of the Center for Innovation & the Arts
The eSpelman Online Certificate program is launched to expand educational opportunities for adult learners
2022
The College receives a $5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to support faculty development and the creation of new interdisciplinary programs
Spelman’s Women's Research and Resource Center celebrates its 40th anniversary
The Black Economic Alliance Foundation announced a grant partnership with Visa Foundation — a $5 million commitment — to support the development of the Center for Black Entrepreneurship housed at Spelman and Morehouse Colleges
The Dual Degree Program at Spelman celebrated 50 years of success Spelman College today received a $10 million grant from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to establish the Arthur M. Blank Innovation Lab — an on-campus creative hub for young entrepreneurs and innovators.
Spelman College names the new 84,000-square-foot Center for Innovation & the Arts in honor of Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph. D., the 10th president of the College
Helene D. Gayle, M.D., MPH, began serving as the 11th president of Spelman College on July 1, 2022
The Jonathan Logan Family Foundation gifted Spelman $1 million to create the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation Center for Documentary Media Studies. Spelman is the first HBCU to grant a bachelor's degree in documentary filmmaking
2023
Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell retires, named president emerita Spelman College celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, which provides academic enrichment and leadership development for high-achieving students
The College hosted the inaugural HBCU Game Jam, a 48-hour hackathon where participating HBCU student teams competed for industry-sponsored prizes while building their own video games
In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, the College relaunched "Inside Spelman," the publication as an interactive digital and downloadable publication
Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH, is inaugurated as as the 11th president of Spelman College on Friday, April 28