The History of Stereotypical Chinatown Architecture

Asian American History 101

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 58! We’re back with our final episode of 2022, and it’s a fascinating piece of ethnic enclave history. Most Chinatowns across the world have similar structural elements: pagodas, specific colors, terra cotta tiles, and more. So how did this happen? It might surprise you that stereotypical Chinatown architecture was created by white people hired by Chinese Americans. Although San Francisco was the first place this happened, their success in creating a welcoming environment influenced the re-design of almost all Chinatowns across the world. We also take time to celebrate Ted Lieu and Michelle Yeoh in the second segment. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [e-mail].

Segments

• 00:25 Thanks and an Intro on Chinatown Architecture
• 02:05 The History of Stereotypical Chinatown Architecture
• 14:15 Celebrating Ted Lieu and Michelle Yeoh