“Acting White;” A Transformation of Animosity to Admiration in Black Peer Groups

Indianapolis, IN

Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data reveals that African Americans who are high-academic achievers are often labeled as "acting White" and incur costs to social status in interracial environments. Their high-achieving White counterparts, do not experience these same costs to their social status when achieving academic success. African Americans who do achieve well academically often attribute their success to Black peer academic groups that support and encourage their success. This paper will show that while Black high-academic achievers may be displaced for "acting White" in primary and secondary school they begin to be admired by those same peers when they matriculate through college.