This collection investigates how the history of interracial marriage in the United States has functioned as a primary lens for defining national identity and racial ideology. Werner Sollors, a scholar of American literature and culture, compiles a rigorous selection of primary documents, legal rulings, and critical essays to examine the social and political tensions surrounding miscegenation. By analyzing both the legal prohibitions and the literary representations of interracial unions, the text argues that the denial of interracialism is a foundational element in the construction of American racial categories.

Scholars and educators frequently identify this volume as a foundational resource for interdisciplinary study in American and Ethnic Studies. The text is noted for its academic rigor and its ability to synthesize complex legal history with cultural and literary criticism.