Marylander Lydia Howard de Roth (1891-1971) defied gender norms by bravely taking a wartime job as an air raid warden. Her diary reveals her experiences saving lives during World War II bombings and proving her capabilities as a woman in a field dominated by men, as well as her time spent at cafes and cocktail parties, enjoying life. Diaries have the power to transport us to a different time and place, as Lydia's does so vividly. You can read an excerpt from her diary, along with several others, in the exhibition "Intimate Expressions: Personal Diaries of Maryland Life" and catch a glimpse of the world through the eyes of Marylanders from the 18th-20th centuries. The exhibition is now open through June 2022 in our niche gallery outside of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library. Images: Lydia Howard de Roth (1891-1971) with Gas Mask, unknown photographer, London, England, 1939-1942. Maryland Center for History and Culture, H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Lydia Howard de Roth Photograph Collec...