History comes alive this fall at the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum with the traveling exhibition “At the Vanguard: Making and Saving History at HBCUs,” making its traveling debut in Atlanta on Thursday, September 17.
The groundbreaking exhibition celebrates the rich legacy of historically Black colleges and universities and the critical role they have played in preserving and advancing African American history and culture. At the Vanguard brings together collections from five HBCU museums and archives: Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University and Tuskegee University.
Jazz 91.9 WCLK is also part of the exhibition, highlighting the important role of HBCU radio stations in documenting, preserving and amplifying Black history, music and culture. As the radio voice of Clark Atlanta University, WCLK has served the Atlanta community for decades, using the power of radio to connect generations of listeners with jazz, African American culture, community conversations and the broader legacy of the HBCU experience.
Visitors will have the opportunity to experience an extraordinary collection of artifacts, visual art, historical documents, archival photography and multimedia that tell stories of innovation, resilience and achievement. Highlights include first-edition works by acclaimed author Margaret Walker, artwork by celebrated artists Elizabeth Catlett and John Biggers, and the original typewriter used by W.E.B. Du Bois at Atlanta University.
According to Danille Taylor, Ph.D., director of the CAU Art Museum, the exhibition demonstrates the important role art and HBCU collections play in documenting African American history—particularly histories that have often been overlooked or underrepresented by other institutions.
The exhibition is the result of a five-year partnership through the HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium, developed in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The exhibition is presented through a collaboration between NMAAHC and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).
More than an art exhibition, At the Vanguard is an opportunity to explore the profound contributions HBCUs have made to the arts, education, science, medicine, technology, media and American culture—and to recognize the institutions that have helped preserve these stories for generations.
For WCLK, being featured in At the Vanguard is a meaningful recognition of the station's role in that history. HBCU radio has long been more than a broadcasting platform—it has been a vital cultural institution, community resource and storyteller.
The exhibition will remain on view at the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum through Friday, December 11, during regular museum hours.
Experience the history. Discover the stories. Hear the legacy.
For more information, museum hours and exhibition details, visit the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum.