This book investigates the intertwined histories of religion and race in the United States, challenging conventional understandings of both. Kathryn Gin Lum, a historian, examines how ideas about religious difference and racial identity have been constructed, contested, and perpetuated throughout American history. The work analyzes primary sources and historical scholarship to demonstrate how notions of 'heathenism' and racialized 'otherness' have been used to define and police American identity, impacting everything from immigration policy to social movements.

The book is recognized for its rigorous historical analysis and its timely engagement with the complex relationship between religion and race in America. Scholars have noted its nuanced approach to understanding how religious frameworks have been deployed to construct racial hierarchies and shape national identity. The work is seen as a significant contribution to the fields of American religious history and critical race studies, offering a compelling argument about the persistent influence of historical religious and racial categorizations.