A 'Ton' Of Fun: How Mahjong Became A U.S. Phenomenon | 1A

Mahjong was first brought to the American public from China in the early 1920s. It was marketed as an ancient Chinese game, but it was actually created in the mid to late 1800s.

The game consists of players competing to form distinct sets or pairs of tiles, similar to gin rummy.

The game offered young Chinese Americans a way to connect with both cultures, according to historian Annelise Heinz.

After World War II, the game became popular among Jewish American women: