Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded on September 19, 1865, as Atlanta University, the first HBCU in the United States to confer graduate degrees to African Americans. In 1988, the school consolidated with Clark College (established 1869) to form CAU. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".