In the 1920s, Mahjong took the U.S. by storm, rapidly becoming a popular game to play and a household name. More than a century later, Mahjong’s popularity seems to be on the rise again, as Yelp data shows a nearly 4,500% increase in searches for Mahjong in the last year.

Annelise Heinz is an associate professor of history at the University of Oregon’s College of Arts and Sciences. She is also the author of “Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture.” She joins us to share the game’s history and why its popularity seems to be on the rise once again.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/09/uo-professor-shares-history-of-mahjong/