It is interesting how Americas standards have come full circle. Prior to the "One Drop Rule" being signed into law in the 20th century, many black citizens who were of mixed race "passed" for white to avoid oppressive, legal discrimination which obviously would have made life much more difficult.
Now, in 2014, such mixed race people who acknowledge their black half and embrace it as who they are, often are viewed by the white collective as "traitorous" to their white half for considering themselves black.