Chinese restaurants have become a staple in America, and they're especially popular during the holidays. In this archive episode, Professor Heather Lee tells the story of how a loophole in the Chinese Exclusion Act led to the Chinese restaurant boom in America. Drawing parallels to today, she explains the unintended impacts of the law on the U.S. and China.

For More on this Topic:

• Read articles in The Atlantic and NPR citing Professor Lee on Chinese restaurants in the United States.
• Check out her 2-page brief, The Untold Story of Chinese Restaurants in America