A retired history professor from Elmira College, Myra Glenn, has uncovered significant flaws in a book by Kerri K. Greenidge, former faculty at Tufts University. The revelations led to Greenidge’s dismissal after scholarly review identified multiple factual errors and improper citations.
Greenidge’s 2022 publication, The Grimkes, initially received positive academic reception as a notable contribution to women’s history and feminist theory. Published by Liveright, the book was later honored with the American Historical Association’s Joan Kelly Memorial Prize in 2023.
However, a review published in Reviews in American History—a scholarly journal from Johns Hopkins University Press—raised serious concerns about the book’s credibility. The review noted that Greenidge frequently lacked evidence for major claims, contained factual inaccuracies, omitted necessary footnotes, and failed to engage with established scholarship on the subject.
The review specifically questioned Greenidge’s account of letters between the Grimke sisters found in the University of Michigan archives. According to the scholarly critique, the university did not possess such documents as claimed by Greenidge.
Another significant error identified was Greenidge’s description of an 1838 attack on Pennsylvania Hall in Philadelphia. The review noted that antislavery activists had canceled a scheduled meeting due to anticipated violence, meaning no one was present when the building was set ablaze—a claim Greenidge attributed to the sisters leading thousands through prayer.
In response to these findings, Tufts University initiated a peer review process involving external historians. The university reported identifying “multiple errors of fact” and improper attribution in Greenidge’s work. As a result, Greenidge was dismissed from her position at Tufts and the publisher removed The Grimkes from its website.
Greenidge denied any plagiarism or fabrication, stating she had “never plagiarized anything in my life.” She attributed her dismissal to scholars who disagreed with her conclusions about racism and white supremacy, claiming that her work was targeted by a biased academic community.