The Gang Wars that Ruled Chinatown

The Leonard Lopate Show | Jul 11, 2016

Demand for opium, gambling, and prostitution combined with a bloated and corrupt city government were defining features of New York's Chinatown during the 1930s, which created the conditions for rival gangs, or tongs, to thrive there. Historian Scott Seligman’s latest book, Tong Wars: The Untold Story of Vice, Money, and Murder in New York's Chinatown, tells the story of the gang wars that engulfed New York’s Chinatown during the first few decades of the 20th century.

Events: Scott Seligman will be speaking and signing copies of his book on Wednesday, July 13th at The Strand (828 Broadway and 12th Street) at 7 p.m. He'll also be at the Museum of Chinese in America (215 Centre Street) on Thursday, July 14th at 6:30 p.m. 

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