This study examines the effect of European missionary activities in colonial Africa on the subsequent evolution of culture, as measured by religious beliefs. The empirical results show that descendants of ethnic groups that experienced great missionary contact are today more likely to self-identify as Christian. This correlation provides evidence that foreign missionaries alter the religious beliefs of Africans, and that these beliefs persist as they are passed on from parents to children. Put differently, the results show that historic evens can have a lasting impact on culture. The findings also provide rare empirical evidence of the historical determinants of long-run religious conversion. The findings provide one example of the historical origins of cultural differences.