William A. Hilliard

William A. Hilliard (May 28, 1927 – January 16, 2017) was an American journalist. He was editor of The Oregonian, the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, from 1987 to 1994 and was that newspaper's first African-American editor.  He was also president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1993–94.

Early life
Hilliard was born in Chicago, Illinois. He studied at Benson Polytechnic High School, at Portland State University, at University of Oregon and at Pacific University.

Career
Hilliard worked at The Oregonian from 1952 to 1994, starting as a copy boy, and then rising to clerk, sports reporter, religion and general assignment reporter, and in 1965 assistant city editor.  In 1971, he became city editor, and in 1982 was named executive editor.

Hilliard served as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) in 1993–94.  He remained editor of The Oregonian until retiring in 1994, although during the last year of his tenure with the paper he gave his designated successor, executive editor Sandra M. Rowe, effective control of the editor's duties and focused his attention on ASNE duties.

In 1998, Hilliard was given the Oregon Newspaper Hall of Fame Award by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association.

Death
Hilliard died on January 16, 2017 in Portland, Oregon at the age of 89.

References

Other websites
 Hilliard biography at Blackpast
 Hilliard in Jet, June 18, 1953
 Hilliard in Jet, April 19, 1993

Category:1927 births
Category:2017 deaths
Category:American editors
Category:Journalists from Chicago