Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Iris Chang was listed as a human rights defender, journalist and writer. Iris Chang was born in Princeton, New Jersey, United States on March 28, 1968. Death is recorded on November 9, 2004, at the age of 36. Schooling on record includes University Laboratory High School and Johns Hopkins University. Credited works include The Rape of Nanking and Thread of the Silkworm.
My Take
What stays with me about Iris Chang is the sheer courage packed into a life cut short at thirty-six. She did not just report history; she forced a forgotten atrocity back into the world's conscience with The Rape of Nanking. I admire writers who treat documentation as a moral duty, and Chang embodied that to an almost unbearable degree. The toll of staring into that darkness was real, and I find her story both inspiring and heartbreaking. To me she remains proof that a single determined journalist can change what a generation chooses to remember.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Iris Chang
- Name (Japanese)
- アイリス・チャン
- Reading
- あいりす・ちゃん
- Born
- March 28, 1968 – November 9, 2004
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Monkey
- Origin
- Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Occupation
- human rights defender / journalist / writer / political activist
2. Background
- High school
- University Laboratory High School
- University
- Johns Hopkins University
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Rape of Nanking | — | |
| Notable work | Thread of the Silkworm | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.irischang.net/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris%20Chang
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AA%E3%82%B9%E3%83%BB%E3%83%81%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q234338
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-19
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Iris Chang born?
Born March 28, 1968.
When did Iris Chang die?
Died November 9, 2004, aged 36.
Where was Iris Chang from?
Iris Chang was from Princeton, New Jersey, United States.
What did Iris Chang do?
Iris Chang worked as human rights defender, journalist, writer, political activist.
What was Iris Chang known for?
Notable works include The Rape of Nanking, Thread of the Silkworm.
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