“Acting White” Within American Black Culture

If you’re African American, you’ve likely heard the proverbial phrase “acting white.” It’s a caricature given to American Blacks who’ve made it out of the “woods of economic despair.” Apparently, those Blacks are now looking down on their racial and ethnic peer groups for not being affluent like they are. Likewise, those same Black folk, who were once poor, are now mingling with the White, rich, and powerful. As a matter of course, the newfound riches (not wealth) have inspired entirely different personalities among the Blacks who’ve become rich.

This may also interest you: “The American Black Bourgeoisie” could easily be perceived by less fortunate Blacks, wherein their economic and social statuses would lead them to believe that their racial peers were “acting white.” “Acting white” is both a phenomenon and infamous phrase profoundly etched in American Black culture.