Iris Chang

Iris Shun-Ru Chang was a Chinese-American historian and journalist best known for her 1997 book "The Rape of Nanking." Born to Chinese immigrant professors, she grew up in Illinois and pursued a career in writing.

Chang authored three books on Chinese experiences in the 19th and 20th centuries, including "Thread of the Silkworm" and "The Chinese in America." Her work on the Nanking Massacre brought international attention to the atrocity and led to her advocacy for Japanese acknowledgment and reparations.

Despite her success, Chang struggled with depression and died by suicide in 2004 at age 36, leaving behind a husband and young son.