UC Berkeley Professor Admits False Claim of Native American Heritage

UC Berkeley anthropology associate professor Elizabeth Hoover apologized for falsely identifying as Native American and claiming to be of Mohawk and Mi’kmaq descent. Hoover admitted that she never confirmed her heritage with these communities or researched it. Former students demanded her resignation, accusing her of robbing Indigenous scholars of opportunities by claiming a false identity on grant and job applications. Hoover acknowledged receiving academic fellowships and material benefits that she may not have received if she didn’t identify as Native.