I wonder why he started claiming it- for a joke, cool points, scholarships, or what? Was he being serious or doing it to mock only to have the tables turned on him?
I know my probably 20% Black stepsister and her 10% Black kids will all of a sudden go from Hispanic to African American on identification forms now that she wants to go back to school. She and my stepmother were joking about claiming AA on forms for scholarships during their younger years. I know my stepmother's mother and grandparents growing up had them do this even though they despised African Americans and wouldn't associate with them. They were looking to get free money/benefits/affirmative action.
Hilarious since 8/10 people in their family are too brain dead to ever actually do anything productive with a higher education in the first place. I remember being flabbergasted when I was informed she was trying to go back to school. I mean the girl barely graduated high school and her bro not even middle school.