The Hilltop is the student newspaper of Howard University,[1][2][3] a historically black college located in Washington, D.C. Co-founded in 1924 by Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston and Louis Eugene King, The Hilltop is the first and only daily newspaper at a historically black college or university (HBCU) in the United States.

The Hilltop boasts a full paid staff which consists of majors ranging from print journalism to biology.

The editor in chief is responsive to "The Hilltop Policy Board", which consists of the editor in chief, Business Manager, elected student body leaders and several administrators (including the Dean of the School of Communications and the Journalism Department Chair) – each holding one equal vote.

The board meets several times a year, most importantly to vote on an operating budget and student activities fee allotment for the newspaper and to select the successors to the editor in chief and Business Manager.

Although The Hilltop was not a professional paper, stories were often published to combat those stereotypes and to instill pride in Howard students.