acting white united_states acting white term usually applied african americans refers person perceived betrayal culture assuming social expectations white society success education particular depending cultural background seen form selling culture term controversial precise meaning hard define minority students discouraged achieving school negative ethnic peers view expressed articles new_york_times time magazine wall_street_journal public figures academics political spectrum history usage question acting white attitudes prevalent debated academic literature african american comedian media figure term noted speech challenged black community idea gaining education acting white black people accused acting white referred term coined comedian election barack_obama president united_states resulted public discussion acting white attitude represented model african american achievement case studies research scholars define acting white way definitions include reference situations minority ridicule peers engaging behaviors perceived characteristic whites scenario white behavior high grades school result researchers term limited authored study concluded high performing african american students washington high school borrowed white culture strategy achievement struggling maintain black identity related claim book affluent suburb study academic concluding black students cultural attitudes hindered academic achievement attitudes neglected earlier written seminal work school like minorities occurs white society limits job success parents communities glass ceiling new book said non whites failed observe link educational achievement access jobs scholars published report finding blacks face stronger social pressures whites succeed school greater feelings education general noted research confirming minority students hold views concluded inherently substantially affect student behavior classroom labeled issue distraction saw important educational reforms study conclusion widely discussed work challenged validity economist chapel hill conducted month study north_carolina schools study concluded white black students essentially attitudes achievement students groups want succeed school higher levels self esteem better school compared attitudes identified acting white normal adolescent pains experienced movies study titled analysis acting white harvard_university suggested phenomenon probably little effect students achieving average levels explain significant role black white students high achievement levels written contrast theory acting white actually common integrated school historically black schools free effects found groups italian immigrants boston west end new_zealand display similar behaviors concluded necessarily trade rejection peers come traditionally low achieving group especially group comes contact outsiders fundamental research far people studied asked rate popularity eyes naturally brings scores question remarked asking teenagers popular like asking having sex lawyer explored issue acting white ironic legacy said segregated black schools featured teachers race student population adults acted students integration public schools mid- century resulted schools black students perceived controlled dominated whites black student trying achieve high educational success considered trying leave minority group argue usage term acting white black teenagers reflect cultural values manifestation racial identity development experienced conjunction normal adolescent peer pressure employ framework contend black teenagers use acting white relation academic achievement similar white teenagers use term difference black teenagers express terms addition normal teenage peer pressure racial identity means black expressions acting white reflect black teenagers cultural values usage example documented instance black teenage girl natural hair accused acting white black peers like white people process hair kind examples accusations acting white fundamentally black cultural attributes accusations reflect attributes acting white manifestation racial identity development black children teenagers learning defining means black conjunction normal adolescent peer pressure accusations common black adults come greater resolution racial identity issues commentary political observer commented variety identities open trying anti establishment white kids black kids interpreted kids black stated acting white attitude developed creation newly integrated african american kids study said school staff faculty hold racist attitudes ability black students use acting white cover student performance wrote identified middle class black values falsely viewed majority blacks white argued attitude distinct issues young blacks poverty professor covering hidden assault civil rights criticizes social pressures conform mainstream white culture said violated african americans civil rights uphold social said able freely choose identify white culture wish professor wrote white culture african american cultural modes relevant meaningful highlighted insistence schools standard english black vernacular english example remarked news hour african american folklore sea crab ranks creatures offers valuable lesson catch bucket lid creatures tries pull fellow human beings aren working hard achieve dreams fun trying accusations acting white barack_obama public figures controversy elected president senator barack_obama criticized acting white relation specific case involving blacks obama election longtime activist characterized senator talking white note obama mixed race american white european mother father descent different ethnic group groups modern day african americans descended note talking white form dialect president obama speaking determine dialect chooses use obama presidential victory election public image prompted public discussion shift ground critics acting white commentators said described black sect consider obama black african white descent advised african americans vote obama strongly criticized idea achievement limited acting white address democratic national convention said children achieve raise expectations turn television sets says black youth book acting white seattle football player came fire anonymous sources alleged feeling locker room wilson lacked cited conflict possible reason trading star player socially conscious texas hip hop artist addressed effects african american face accused acting white song acting white song depicts average struggles young black children don fit stereotypical mold society wishes place describes struggles dealing police harassment fun dressing differently words accused stealing stores aspirations like
Acting white