<p>“Honestly, I think that logically you are an African American, even though colleges probably will not see it that way.”</p>
<p>This is not a matter of “logic.” As Sirensong posted above, this is college admissions: OP knows the adcoms are looking to identify URM students, OP knows that in the admissions context context Af-Am is a URM designation and OP is not URM - - so don’t check the box. Since checking the box as Af-Am is about race, not ethnicity or culture, OP will be deliberately misleading the adcoms regarding his race (presumably to get an admissions boost). </p>
<p>No one is stopping nor wants to stop OP, Sirensong or other White Africans from claiming their African “roots” - - just don’t do so in a way that you know will mislead others about your race.</p>