It’s called the Acting White Accusation (AWA). Researchers say it arises when a Black adolescent's racial identity is perceived by other Black adolescents as being not Black enough. Researchers also say the accusation of Acting White can cause anxiety and isolation.
Angela Neal-Barnett, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences in Kent State University’s College of Arts and Sciences, along with Martale Davis, shared their research with WKYC-TV and Anxiety.org.