In certain cases, I feel that the author’s race does not matter when dealing with racial issues, but you must do it in a way that avoids fostering bias. I believe the trick is to solicit feedback from genuine members of the culture you wish to write about. Putting their opinions ahead of your own, and never second-guessing them. People are more likely to believe a person and listen to what they have to say when they can relate to them. Chopin’s criticism just served to draw the attention of those who resembled her, something black people in that era were likely to find problematic.