By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
A snow day in Georgia and a viral TikTok video unexpectedly set the foundation for what is now HillmanTok University, a virtual learning institution that has captured the attention of millions. It all started when Dr. Leah Barlow, a professor at North Carolina A&T, posted a welcome video for her African American Studies class. What she intended for just 36 students reached nearly 4 million viewers, sparking a movement that sixth-grade teacher Cierra Hinton helped shape into something much bigger. “I was scrolling, and I saw ‘Ms. Shannon’s Screenwriting 101 class,’ then Dr. Christie’s video, and I thought, ‘Is this an HBCU? Or did we just happen to have all Black professors?’” Hinton said during an interview on Let It Be Known. “If I’m going to be in these fabulous courses with all these highly qualified professors, what school am I in? What are our colors? What’s our mascot? Because I want to represent my school.”
That curiosity led Hinton, who was joined on Let It Be Known News by Coach WestB, an official staff member and community leader at HillmanTok. But Hinton coined the name HillmanTok University, inspired by Hillman College, the fictional HBCU from The Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World. What began as a TikTok trend has since evolved into a structured educational platform that now includes a website with an extensive course catalog for Spring 2025. HillmanTok offers over 400 courses spanning a wide range of topics. Traditional classes like Spanish 101 and law sit alongside culturally relevant subjects such as Black beauty culture, ethical issues in the criminal justice system, and even Spades 101—where students break down the hierarchy of suits on a “molecular level.” “We have courses that you would traditionally find in a university, but also courses that are unique to us,” Hinton explained. “We have parenting courses for those raising kids with autism, health care courses, and even ones on how to lock hair or cook. The goal is to make education accessible and relevant.”
Unlike traditional universities, HillmanTok does not charge tuition. Some instructors may ask for optional contributions to cover resources, especially when their classes unexpectedly attract hundreds or even thousands of students. “No one expected their class to blow up the way it did,” Hinton said. “Some thought they’d have 10 or 15 students, and suddenly, they have 500. That’s when they might need tools like Google Classroom to manage everything, and sometimes that requires a little extra help.” HillmanTok has rapidly expanded, but not without obstacles as the movement gained traction, multiple unauthorized accounts claiming to be HillmanTok surfaced across social media, leading to confusion among followers. “If it doesn’t say The HillmanTok University, then it’s not us,” Coach West stated. “People have been scammed into paying for things we don’t charge for, like IDs. Our services are free.”
Additionally, the original HillmanTok TikTok account was hacked when Hinton attempted to secure verification, forcing the team to rebuild from scratch. Today, the official account has over 100,000 followers, but concerns remain about the platform’s future. With TikTok’s uncertain fate in the U.S.—where the app is currently available only to existing users under an extension granted by former President Donald Trump—HillmanTok is preparing for potential disruptions. “We have contingencies upon contingencies,” Hinton said. “HillmanTok is so important to us that we are worried about all kinds of things.” Hinton and her team are actively exploring partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities to expand opportunities and solidify HillmanTok’s place in the educational landscape. “For everybody who ever wanted to be part of an HBCU but couldn’t, we’re fulfilling that dream,” Hinton said.
Click here to view the full discussion with Hinton and the Coach
