A few weeks ago, I was trying to find resources on Chinese immigration that I could use for my English research paper. I obtained a couple of books, one of them being "The Chinese in America" by Iris Chang. It was a really well-written book that contained lots of useful information, and everyone in my class who was researching Chinese immigration also had a copy of it.

Iris Chang was a 1985 Uni graduate and was best known for her well-acclaimed and best-selling "The Rape of Nanking," which is a historical account of the Nanking massacre. Her life was short but meaningful.

Recently, Cozy House Publisher just published "Iris Chang and the Forgotten Holocaust: Best Essays from Iris Chang Memorial Essay Contest, 2006," consisting of 39 of the best essays.

In March 2006, as a tribute to Chang (1968-2004), her parents established the Iris Chang Memorial Fund under the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of WWII in Asia to carry on Chang’s unfinished dream.

According to the Memorial Fund's Web site, among a number of educational and research programs supported by the Fund, the first program was to sponsor annual national essay contests on a variety of topics related to the history of World War II in Asia and the impact of the Sino-Japanese war on current political society, or the education of future generations on Asian war history.

The theme for the 2006 essay contest was stated as follows: How has Iris Chang’s book, "The Rape of Nanking: the Forgotten Holocaust of WWII," affected my life and thinking? Chang’s parents reported that they received 290 essays from all over the world with authors of different kinds of background.

A panel of 16 judges selected the final winners. Hann-Shuin Yew, a Harvard University freshman, won the first prize. Her essay is titled "The Rape of Nanking: A Quest for Peace."

Annie Liang, a 2007 graduate of Uni High, was a semifinalist in the contest and received a certificate of merit.

The collection of the best essays from the 2006 contest pays tribute to Chang’s legacy and evidently indicates that "The Rape of Nanking" has penetrated "to public consciousness," as Chang had wished.

The topic for the 2007 contest was "The Denial and Its Cost: Reflections on Nanking Massacre 70 Years Ago and Beyond." The deadline for essay submission was June 30. The final awards will be announced in early November. I hope Uni had some submissions.

Iris Chang has especially helped the general public be aware of the Sino-Japanese war and made us reflect on the Nanking massacre. Although I did not participate in the 2006 or 2007 essay contests, I plan to read "The Rape of Nanking," which Iris Chang autographed with my name on it on Aug. 10, 1998. I look forward to next year’s contest.