A George Washington University professor of African American studies has admitted to pretending to be Black. 

Jessica Krug says she was born a white Jewish girl, not the Black Latina she claimed to be in her books, which were up for the Harriet Tubman Prize. 

Essence Magazine has since removed her writing from its website. 

Critics say she made the admission because she was found out. Krug has blamed it on mental illness. 

The university says it can’t comment further on personnel matters.