HillmanTok, the digital movement that took TikTok by storm in January 2025, was recently recognized for making learning more accessible and engaging, specifically for topics focused on Black culture and history.
Earlier in March, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) collaborated with TikTok to honor the digital community and the Black educators that made it possible.
Several HillmanTok educators made their way to Capitol Hill to meet with Congress to discuss the impact of #BlackTikTok and how HillmanTok reshaped how we use digital platforms to learn. Among the creators were HillmanTok’s professors, including Leah Barlow, Shyia Simmons, Thurman Brooks, Gyllian Carter, Kyra Brown and Denise Francis.
The creators head to Washington, D.C.
The educators were greeted in Washington, D.C., at a special reception hosted by UNCF.
“UNCF is deeply inspired by the transformative power of the #HillmanTok community and the extraordinary impact of digital educators on TikTok. By amplifying diverse voices and reimagining education in the digital age, TikTok is shaping new pathways for learning and engagement, Ed Smith-Lewis, senior vice president of strategic partnerships and institutional programs at UNCF, said, in a statement received by Blavity.
Smith-Lewis added, “This collaboration reinforces our commitment to innovation, the success of HBCUs, and the cultivation of the next generation of leaders. By fostering meaningful connections and expanding access to educational opportunities, UNCF is ensuring that the rich legacy of HBCUs continues to be a catalyst for change and a blueprint for the future.”
In true TikTok fashion, some HillmanTok creators captured their trip to Washington.
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Simmons, who teaches the fundamentals of slaying in Basic Makeup 101, filmed her entire day, including meeting with Rep. Shontel Brown and Rep. Shomari Figures as well as sharing makeup secrets with Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Simmons also captured the moment she met Barlow, who indirectly started the movement that later became known as HillmanTok. Simmons gave Barlow her flowers for forming the community that changed her life and impacted millions who gained knowledge from the classes.
Barlow also captured her time in Washington, D.C., and was praised for sparking the viral movement. The North Carolina A&T professor shared a video in which Rep. Crockett encouraged all HillmonTok students to “value [Barlow] and their education.”
HillmanTok’s impact
Named after the fictional HBCU on the popular 1980s sitcom A Different World, The HillmanTok movement was spurred by Barlow when she posted a course preview that unexpectedly went viral. Her content gained over 3.6 million views and 550,000 followers in one week.
Due to the heightened urge to protect Black educators, history and culture following the 2024 presidential election, the video sparked a movement, with endless Black educators using TikTok to cover subjects such as African American history, financial literacy, STEM and personal development.
Metropolitan cities such as Atlanta, Brooklyn, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles contributed to the largest number of HillmanTok attendees, leading to the hashtag #HillmanTok seeing about 955,000 searches, 952,000 unique searchers, and 3.5 million video views within the 30 days prior to March 12.
The information Barlow and the other professors provide can be vital to preserving Black culture and identity, which is on the daily chopping block. Like the HBCUs it’s modeled after, HillmanTok is ensuring that Black excellence, culture and history always have a place within society.
