Clarkston has been called the most diverse community in the southeastern United States, with 50 nationalities speaking 22 languages registered in the high school.

The city of Clarkston owes much of its beginnings to the Georgia Railroad.  In the 1830's, the Georgia Railroad built a rail line through what is now Clarkston from Atlanta to Athens.  Clarkston was officially chartered and named in 1882.  It is located 5 miles east of Decatur and 5 miles west of Stone Mountain and encompasses approximately 700 acres or 1.1 square miles.

During the mid 1990's Clarkston and surrounding areas were designated as a federal refugee resettlement area for people fleeing persecution throughout the world.  This influx of immigrants helped create one of the most diverse multi-cultural cities in the southeast.