Independent since 2002 Issue No. 1102 Week of November 7, 2026 Get the free email dispatch →

Guest Commentator

Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD

Edward Rhymes is the Director of Race Relations and Advocacy of the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh. He can be reached at [email protected].

8 pieces

Guest Commentary

Turning Racism Upside Down To See It Rightside Up

By Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD Guest Commentator

President Bush, during a recent speech to a predominantly white audience, voiced his concerns about the state of affairs in American white communities. “The epidemic of whites involved in drunk-driving fatality accidents is deplorable,” President Bush said. He cited the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2000 statistics that showed that white male drivers between the…

President Bush, during a recent speech to a predominantly white audience, voiced his concerns about the state of affairs in American white communities. "The epidemic of…

Continue reading 8 min

Commentary

Think Piece: The Double Standard of Righteous Indignation

By Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD Guest Commentator

Some time ago as I was manically flipping through the cable channels (yes, I know, a very male attribute) when I happened upon a talk show that had as one of its guests, an actor from the HBO hit series The Sopranos. During the course of the interview the host asked, rather giddily, “Who will…

Some time ago as I was manically flipping through the cable channels (yes, I know, a very male attribute) when I happened upon a talk show…

Continue reading 7 min

Commentary

Ode to Richard Pryor

By Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD Guest Commentator

“As long as the colored man look to white folks to put a crown on what he say…. as long as he looks to white people for approval… then he ain’t never gonna find out who he is and what he’s about” – August Wilson Jr. If Helen of Troy is “the face that launched…

"As long as the colored man look to white folks to put a crown on what he say.... as long as he looks to white people…

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Commentary

Black Like… Who? – Part 1: Black Identity&Unity

By Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD Guest Commentator

Introduction The recent goings-on at certain college campuses and the on-going dialogue about what it means to be black have compelled me to contemplate the issues of Black Identity and Black Studies. There are a great many challenges that face us (especially here in the U.S.) as a people in our search for clarity and…

Introduction The recent goings-on at certain college campuses and the on-going dialogue about what it means to be black have compelled me to contemplate the issues…

Continue reading 22 min

Commentary

The Invisible Asterisk: Reflections of What Might Have Been

By Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD Guest Commentator

I was extremely pleased when I read the list of players selected for the NFL’s 2005 Pro Bowl. For the first time in NFL history, all the quarterbacks for a Pro Bowl Team, in this case the NFC, are black: Duante Culpepper, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick (making Rush Limbaugh eat crow – well, more…

I was extremely pleased when I read the list of players selected for the NFL’s 2005 Pro Bowl. For the first time in NFL history, all…

Continue reading 9 min

Guest Commentary

Brownballed? Desegregation Without Real Integration

By Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD Guest Commentator

In the education of our children there are two vital questions that we must answer: Who is teaching our children? What are they being taught? The future academic success of our students hinges on our thoughtful and serious consideration of these questions. The issues of who’s teaching our children and/or what they are being taught…

In the education of our children there are two vital questions that we must answer: Who is teaching our children? What are they being taught? The…

Continue reading 19 min

Guest Commentary

Think Piece: The Continuing Miseducation of the Negro

By Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD Guest Commentator

“There can be no great disappointment, where there is no great love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I am disappointed, I am a bit dismayed and I am somewhat disturbed. Why, you may ask? I’ll tell you. The remarks made by certain entertainers and personalities; as well as the apparent culpability of the “leaders”…

“There can be no great disappointment, where there is no great love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I am disappointed, I am a bit dismayed…

Continue reading 12 min

Cover Story

Acting White? – African-American Students and Education

By Dr. Edward Rhymes, PhD Guest Commentator

3. Movies such as Revenge of the Nerds where the nerds and geeks triumph over their social oppressors. Curriculum Let’s say for a moment, that I actually bought into this misconception about African-American youths’ aversion to education; when the curriculum is viewed from our social studies, history and English classes across the country; it’s easy…

3. Movies such as Revenge of the Nerds where the nerds and geeks triumph over their social oppressors. Curriculum Let’s say for a moment, that I…

Continue reading 8 min

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