ICYMI Encore Episode of The History of Chop Suey Fonts

Asian American History 101

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 30! This is an ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) encore rebroadcast of The History of Chop Suey Fonts from S03E18. It was a favorite of ours to research because it amazes us how something not created by Asian Pacific Islanders has become so closely aligned to our businesses.

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 named 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.

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Segments

• 00:25 Intro
• 00:59 The History of Chop Suey Fonts