College Rejects Scribner Author's Plagiarism Charge

A George Mason University review panel rejected the claims of plagiarism made against Beverly Lowry, an English professor at the university, and her 2003 biography, Her Dream of Dreams: The Rise and Triumph of Madam C.J. Walker (Knopf).

In January of this year A'Lelia Bundles, author of the 2001 Scribner biography On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, filed a formal complaint with the university, alleging that Lowry had committed "academic plagiarism" as defined by the George Mason University faculty handbook and by other references for academic standards. Bundles's complaint alleged that in at least 28 instances Lowry "lifted my actual words, paraphrasing several sentences, paragraphs and sections of my book without the appropriate quotation marks or citations."

Bundles, who is Walker's great-great-granddaughter, also alleged that Lowry has used Bundles's original research without "proper attribution." It is the most serious charge to date leveled against Lowry by Bundles, who has been critical of the Lowry book since it was published last year. The publishers of both books issued statements in support of their authors.

In a telephone conversation with PW, Deborah Kaplan, chair of the English department at George Mason, where Lowry teaches, said that the matter had been "handled according to university procedures," and that the panel "has found no basis for the allegations."

Bundles was unswayed by the review panel's report. Told of George Mason's findings, Bundles told PW, "I'm not surprised that her university would circle the wagons. This is an expected response from an institution." Bundles added, "USA Today defended Jack Kelley for a very long time until they could no longer justify doing so. Despite the conclusion of the English department at George Mason University, I still feel confident that the examples I have provided show that Lowry has taken material from my book without proper attribution."

Lowry did not respond to a phone message from PW. But Daniele Struppa, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at George Mason, described the review process. He said the allegations were subjected to a "thorough analysis" but declined to provide details about the process. The review panel, said Struppa, "concluded that the allegations were not supported by the evidence," and he said a letter with the panel's findings would be sent to both parties. "The matter," he said, "is now completely dropped."