sad as it is we're heading down a path where a white dude can't even befriend somebody black. sure there's different levels of acquaintances and friendship but this is what it's gonna be that much harder to be understanding...
let's get something straight. a lot of white people are extra nice to black people. they do this because they're fearful of them, and walk on eggshells around them.
ask OSA or anyone else from the metro nyc area about him/their family. if he lived in the city or in the boroughs of nyc what went on. if he's too young to tell you, maybe his cousin or even his father. there were neighborhoods that you avoid because you would get your ass kicked because you were white. no other reason.. this shit went on well into the 80's
a friend of mine lived in the bronx and he said he had to run home from school everyday, because the older black kids just wanted to beat his ass.