William Y. Chang, Whose Newspaper Spoke to Chinatown in English, Dies at 103

There are few people like Mr. Chang these days. Just wanting to help further people with what they are able to contribute selflessly. My father too was from Hawai'i and educated at St. John's, seemingly many on that path from that generation achieved amazing things with their lives, setting examples for us to follow.

"We are no longer just an oddity. Now I’d like to help speed up our assimilation.” It's a shame "assimilation" has become a dirty word these days. The Asians (and Indians) have shown that it works quite well, and it doesn't mean you have to forget your ancestry.

It’s disgraceful that in 2019 the NYT can publish an article saying that Mr Chang leaned to speak “Chinese” in Honolulu and interpreted between “Chinese” and English for Mayor Wagner without telling us *which* Chinese language (“dialect”) he used in each case.

Great to have someone like Chang to move the otherwise “stay -behind” community to integrate with the mainstream socially and politically, and be represented in America.

Thank you Richard Sandomir for writing this article. There is little known Chinese-American individuals and their accomplishments. This was greatly appreciated as an Chinese-American.

Thank you for covering this very interesting man and his life. I started with the assumption a spokesman for the early 20th century NYC Chinatown would have been from that community. But no, he was born and raised in Hawaii, had graduate education and an early career in Shanghai, then found his way to NYC. Were there journalists, intellectuals of Chinatown NYC who were native to that community? If not, could the Chinatown of those days have been an insulating ghetto from which a larger perspective of the world was inhibited? There's a graduate thesis for some social scientist or historian.

This was such an inspiring and thoughtful article, I love to hear stories of good people doing good things. I hope that generations to come look on at people like this and aspire to do good and be more. I know for sure this inspires me to do more good, even if the deeds or acts are small. We should make a difference in this world no matter how significant or insignificant the act may seem.

The circumstances of the 20th century gave us some extraordinary individuals. The most extraordinary of them managed to navigate all of the strange pathways fate presented. Mr. Chang ranks among them.

Thank you New York Times. As a Chinese American, I will always remember William Chang's contribution to our community.