What is William A. Hilliard?
{{Infobox person | name = William A. Hilliard | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1927|5|28}} | birth_place = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], [[United States|U.S.]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|1|16|1927|5|28}} | death_place = [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]], U.S. | occupation =Editor, writer, journalist | spouse = | children = | alma_mater=[[Benson Polytechnic High School]]<br>[[Portland State University]]<br>[[University of Oregon]]<br>[[Pacific University]] }} '''William A. Hilliard''' (May 28, 1927 &ndash; 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 journalism|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]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Oregon Newspaper Hall of Fame| publisher=Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association|url=https://orenews.com/