Former First lady Michelle Obama delivers the commencement address to graduates of Spelman College on Sunday, May 15, 2011, at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, Ga. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
On April 11, 1881, classes began in the basement of an Atlanta church at what was then known as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary. Sponsored by the American Baptist Women’s Home Mission Society, this modest beginning marked the foundation of what would become Spelman College, one of the nation’s premier institutions for African American women.
Actress Phylicia Rashad, right, receives and honorary degree from Spelman College President Beverly D. Tatum during the school’s commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 15, 2011, at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, Ga. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
Spelman is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report and as one of the best women’s colleges by Forbes. The Rockefeller family, especially Laura Spelman Rockefeller, provided significant financial support. In 1924, the school was renamed in her honor.
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
