Mah Jongg legacy and cultural shifts in Queens, New York

In Forest Hills, Queens, community efforts are underway to honor Dorothy Meyerson, known as the “Mother of American Mah Jongg.” Resident Barry Joseph is planning a commemorative mural on the Yellowstone Boulevard LIRR trestle and a street co-naming of “Mah Jongg Way” to celebrate Meyerson’s legacy. Meyerson originally developed her ruleset for a fundraiser for the Forest Hills Jewish Center.

In nearby Flushing, the revival of Mah Jongg is being examined as a lens through which to view gentrification and economic transformation within the city’s largest Chinese enclave. The game serves as a focal point for understanding how immigrant communities navigate changing urban landscapes.