Argues that racial judgments are often based on how a person conforms to behavior stereotypically associated with a certain race despite decades of racial progress and the pervasiveness of multicultural rhetoric, and that African Americans pay a high cost whether they "act" black or white.

Why act white? -- Talking white -- Acting like a black woman -- Acting like a (white) woman -- (Not) acting criminal -- Acting diverse -- Acting within the law -- Acting white to help other blacks.