@wbez_chicago: When visitors walk through Chinatown, they’re met with the familiar sights of numerous restaurants, bakeries and gift shops. But situated high above the din of the neighborhood’s busy streets are dozens of large signs that are easy to miss. They’re posted on the tip-top of buildings, they’re several feet wide, and most are written only in Chinese. The signs belong to Chinese family associations, groups based on a shared last name or ancestral hometown. In Chinatown’s early days, they were the cornerstone of the neighborhood’s civic and social life. The historical significance and ubiquity of the buildings, scattered across Chicago’s Chinatown and across the country, led one Curious City listener to ask: Are Chinese family associations still an important part of life in Chinatown today? Finding the answer led us through the history of Chicago’s Chinatown. Along the way, we met many of the people who have had a direct hand in shaping how the neighborhood became what it is today and what it might become for generations to come. Story by Amy Qin and Mendy Kong Video by Mendy Kong Cover photo courtesy of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago #chinatown #chicago #chicagohistory #news #chinese

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Thursday 04 September 2025 17:45:26 GMT