Hilliard at his desk at the Oregonian, 1979.
Hilliard at his desk at the Oregonian, 1979. PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE OREGONIAN

William A. Hilliard passed away today at age 89, after a remarkable and unprecedented life as a newspaperman. After being turned down by the Oregonian as a young boy for a paper route (for being black), Hilliard went on to earn a journalism degree from Pacific University in 1952, then returned to the Oregonian and was hired as the first African American employee in the newsroom. While working as a copy boy, as well as a redcap at Union Station, Hilliard founded and published his own newspaper, the Portland Challenger, committed exclusively to the city’s African American population. Hilliard would work his way steadily up the ranks of the Oregonian, ultimately becoming the first black editor of the paper in 1986. Under his leadership, the newspaper covered more minority issues, hired more people of color into the newsroom, and forcefully spoke out against all forms of discrimination, including instituting the policy barring the use of derogatory sports teams names. In 1993 Hilliard was named the first black president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, and was awarded the Presidential Award by the National Association of Black Journalists. After 42 years, he retired from the Oregonian in 1994. He was honored with a Distinguished Service Award from the University of Oregon, and membership in the Oregon Newspaper Hall of Fame.

Hilliard and his wife Dian were kind enough to invite me into their home last November, for a profile piece I was working on for the Mercury. He’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and showed visible strain as we sat together in his living room, but he was still willing and eager to talk with me about growing up in Portland, overcoming the city's segregation and discrimination, and achieving what was then all but impossible. He brought out old copies of the Challenger for me to look through, and reminisced about old friends, who have since passed away. Hilliard spoke to me for over two hours, and though I would’ve loved to have spoken with him much longer, I didn’t want to overstay my welcome or use up any more his energy.

Though it was brief, meeting Bill Hilliard was one of the highlights of my still-developing career as a journalist and writer, and I’ll be forever indebted to him for making time to speak with me. He was an inspiration not only to me, and not only to the city, but to the nation as a whole.

Thank you for everything, Bill.

Read the Mercury's full profile on Bill Hilliard here.