Please join us on Sunday April 24 at 4pm to celebrate the release of another Hoboken Oral History Project chapbook, “And Then I Started Reading Books: Recollections of Maria Peggy Diaz.” The event is free. All who attend will receive a copy of the chapbook.

Maria Peggy Diaz grew up in Hoboken. She describes how reading books when she was young opened up her mind, and helped her imagine worlds of possibilities for her life. As part of her service in the Navy, she was trained in firefighting, and it became a career goal. In 2002, she overcame tremendous odds and obstacles to become the first Latina firefighter in Hoboken. She was promoted to captain in 2011. We are thrilled to document and share her inspiring story. 

The Hoboken Oral History Project is a project of the Hoboken Historical Museum and the Hoboken Public Library, and was supported by a Special Projects grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, Department of State.