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Mahjong was born in China during the Qing dynasty, emerging from card games played along the Yangtze River delta in the mid-1800s. Four players drawing and discarding beautifully crafted tiles in pursuit of winning combinations — the game quickly became a fixture in teahouses, social clubs, and homes across the country. By the early 1900s, it was widely considered the national game of China.

Then came the American craze. In the early 1920s, businessman Joseph Park Babcock brought the game stateside after learning it in Shanghai. He trademarked the name "Mah-Jongg," published a simplified rulebook (the famous "red book"), and added Arabic numerals to the tiles. What followed was one of the biggest game fads in American history — between 1922 and 1924, department stores couldn't keep sets in stock, the game inspired popular songs, fashion designers created mahjong-themed clothing, and Dorothy Meyerson even appeared on television teaching the game. The whole country was obsessed.

Washington DC, 1922 — Library of Congress

The "Group of the Winds" spectacle, 1925 — Library of Congress

The initial mania cooled by the mid-1920s, but the game found a devoted and enduring home in the Jewish American community. Jewish women — particularly in New York — embraced mahjong as a social cornerstone, playing in synagogues, community centers, Catskills resorts, and living rooms across the country. The game became woven into the fabric of Jewish American social life, passed down from mothers to daughters alongside recipes and traditions. In 1937, a group of these dedicated players founded the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) to bring order to the chaos of competing house rules. Their most brilliant innovation? The annual card — a printed list of all valid winning hands for the year, published each spring. They codified the Charleston, the beloved pre-game ritual of passing tiles, and in 1960 introduced 2 Joker tiles. By 1971, the NMJL standardized the 152-tile set we know today, requiring 8 Jokers and 8 Flowers. The NMJL has published a new card every single year since — an unbroken tradition spanning nearly nine decades.

After decades as a beloved tradition in community centers, country clubs, and living rooms across America, mahjong is experiencing a spectacular revival. A new generation of players has discovered what longtime players always knew: there's nothing quite like the click of tiles, the thrill of a well-played hand, and the friendships that form around the mahjong table. With stunning modern tile sets, vibrant social media communities, and a growing appreciation for this game that bridges generations, American Mahjong has never been more alive. Some things never change — playing mahjong in the pool was all the rage in the 1920s, and it's back! 🀄🏊‍♀️