her family didn't approve of her age (17 at the time) and the fact my father was a.) Not Polish and b.) Not White... Is it likely that was the case?
That is possible.
I think that as a tourist you will most likely be OK, except of stares in villages. Poland is not a dangerous country. Just don't hang around too much near commiblocks. I would discourage darker skin color people to come and live in Poland, but as a tourist it doesn't matter.
Read "Stay save" chapter here:
wikitravel.org/en/Poland