Derek Chang is an associate professor of history and Asian American studies at Cornell University. His research delves into the complex interplay of race and religion, particularly examining the history of Christian missions and their role in shaping American identity during the nineteenth century. Chang investigates how religious convictions and racial biases were intertwined, profoundly influencing societal and political viewpoints.
Derek Chang chronicles the American Baptist Home Mission Society's efforts to evangelize among African Americans in the South and Chinese migrants on the Pacific Coast during the late nineteenth century. He brings together for the first time African American and Chinese American religious histories in an innovative comparative approach.