History

April 12, 2022 0

Origins Of The St. Paul Sandwich: A Missouri Invention?

“The St. Paul Sandwich — comprising an egg foo young patty, slice of tomato, pickle and iceberg lettuce sandwiched between two slices of mayonnaise-laden white bread..”—Riverfront Times, November 15, 2006 If you’ve visited Chinese-American restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri, or some other Missouri cities, you might’ve eaten a St. Paul Sandwich. The origins of this sandwich are murky, but the most commonly shared legend is that it was invented by Steven Yuen at Park Chop Suey in St. Louis, possibly in the 1970s. It’s […]

March 28, 2022 0

Origins of Crab Rangoon

by Richard Auffrey

At most Chinese-American restaurants, you can find Crab Rangoons and they are a hugely popular item. Also known as Crab Puffs, Crab Pillows, and Cheese Wontons, these are essentially fried wontons stuffed with cream cheese and imitation crab (or sometimes real crab). They are crunchy and creamy, and they are prepared nearly the same at every restaurant. When and where did Crab Rangoons originate? Most sources indicate that Crab Rangoons were likely invented by Victor Bergeron, the founder of Trader […]

March 14, 2022 0

Centuries Ago, Many in Boston Saw Chinese Only Through The Lens of Exploitation

by Richard Auffrey

During the 19th century, and even into the early 20th century, it was common for circuses, carnivals and other shows to exploit people with rare disabilities or deformities — and sometimes for just being ethnically different. Two people who became international celebrities in these shows and who toured Boston in the early 1800s were known as “Chang and Eng.” On August 16, 1829, the Sachem, captained by Abel Coffin, sailed into Boston Harbor, bearing with it Chang and Eng, who eventually became known worldwide as the “Siamese […]

March 14, 2022 0

Chinatown Heroes, Cast in Bronze

by Xinyan Fu

A laundryman, a cook, a garment worker, and a grandmother with a child — these figures might seem ordinary and unrecognizable to many. Yet, the figures and the community they represent are the foundation of Boston Chinatown and its community. And now, artist Wen-ti Tsen is working on making these characters into four life-size bronze statues. The work-in-progress project, Chinatown Worker Statues, is created by the 85-year-old artist who intended to “commemorate and pay tribute” to Chinatown workers who have […]

February 28, 2022 0

SFFA v. Harvard

by Chelsea Wang

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear cases challenging affirmative action–race-conscious–admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), an organization led by legal strategist Edward Blum, sued the universities in 2014, alleging that their admissions policies discriminate against Asian American and white applicants. SFFA accused Harvard of discriminating against Asian Americans through the personal rating–which purports to measure personality traits such as leadership and kindness–it assigns to each applicant. On January 24, […]

February 15, 2022 0

Charles Shue, First Chinese-American Justice of the Peace, Lived Fascinating, Inspirational Life

by Richard Auffrey

Charles K. Shue, who lived in Boston’s Chinatown, was a wealthy merchant, restaurant owner, and the first Chinese-American justice of the peace in the United States. He would also be the first Chinese-American man in the U.S. to win a nomination to public office. He was also known as Chin Shue, Chin Quong, and Chin Que Shue. No matter the name, his tale is a fascinating and inspirational one. Shue was born in Seattle, Washington around 1874, and came to Boston almost twenty years […]

January 7, 2022 0

Who Invented the Eggroll?

by Richard Auffrey

Are egg rolls a traditional Chinese dish, or were they invented in the United States? If they were invented here, who created them?

December 17, 2021 0

MA’s Longest Nurse Strike Hits 9 Months

by Admin

On December 8, the ongoing nurses strike at Saint Vincent Hospital hit the nine month mark. Beginning in March, this nurses strike has become the longest in Massachusetts history.

Advertisement from Los Angeles Evening Citizen, December 10, 1949

December 17, 2021 0

The Origins of the Chinese Buffet

by Richard Auffrey

At least as early as 1837, you could find all-you-can-eat dinners, which were, initially, primarily for American cuisine. During the latter part of the 19th century, the “smörgåsbord” made its appearance.

December 15, 2021 0

Remembering Uncle Bill — a Community Leader

by Nancy Lo

On November 27, 2021, Chinatown said goodbye to Bill Chin, widely known throughout the community as “Uncle Bill”. Born locally in 1929 during the Chinese Exclusion Act, Uncle Bill was always keenly aware of the village that raised him, and lived to improve the quality of life of Chinese immigrants.

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