The History of Chop Suey Fonts

Asian American History 101

Welcome to Season 3, Episode 18. We’ve all seen them. Typefaces that signal an ethnic establishment. For businesses, especially restaurants that sell Asian food, it’s not unusual to see the use of a “Chop Suey Font”. These fonts have also been used for politics, advertising, media, and other businesses. Whether Chop Suey, Wonton, or any number of mimicry typefaces, using these fonts sends a message that it’s a place that’s exotic, foreign, yet somehow accessible. We discuss the history of these fonts and whether they’re racist. To begin the episode, we talk a little about the shooting in Allen, Texas. To end the episode, we begin a new segment on Supporting Athletes of Asian Descent, and we provide a non-hockey fan’s guide to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Which NHL players of Asian descent are still playing? Find out here! 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 Talking a Little about Allen, Texas Shooting
• 08:17 The History of Chop Suey Fonts
• 21:57 Supporting Athletes of Asian Descent, Stanley Cup Edition