Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Changing Face of America's Chinatowns

A really interesting story about the demographic changes to America's Chinatowns from NPR, focusing on New York City's Chinatown:
The Chinese New Year begins on Jan. 23. On that day, people will celebrate the Year of the Dragon in Chinatowns across the country.
The neighborhoods known as Chinatowns sprang up in the U.S. during the Gold Rush. But since then, they've seen gradual yet significant changes — not so noticeable to the average visitor, perhaps, but quite drastic to those who've called these communities home.

To find out more, weekends on All Things Considered guest host Rebecca Sheir visited the nation's biggest Chinatown, in New York City. We began on the unofficial main street, Mott Street: a narrow but bustling thoroughfare lined with souvenir shops, teahouses and restaurants, and packed to the gills with people.

2 comments:

a Tonggu Momma said...

This is true of Washington DC's Chinatown, for sure. It is almost non-existent because of rising rents attributed to the MCI Center (now Verizon Center), which was built in 1997. There are now suburban pockets, mainly in Howard County, Maryland.

Anonymous said...

This is true of Los Angeles China town as well. it's shrinking due to rising rents coupled with the middle class leaving the area to create their own community further out in the suburbs.