Hillsdale Collegian
Alumna nicknamed âmother of cryptologyâ gets PBS documentary
Hillsdale in 1915, gets an episode in PBSâs
âAmerican ExpeÂrienceâ series | Winona Yearbook.
Hillsdale alumna Elizebeth Smith Friedmanâs life story came to the small screen this month when she was feaÂtured in an episode of the PBS docÂuÂmentary series âAmerican Experience.â
The Jan. 11 episode, titled âThe CodeÂbreaker,â focused on the 1915 graduateâs groundÂbreaking conÂtriÂbuÂtions to the art and science of codeÂbreaking, which she developed with her husband, William Friedman, during World War I. They conÂtinued to refine cryptÂanalysis throughout the 20th century by deciÂphering the codes used by orgaÂnized crime synÂdiÂcates during ProÂhiÂbition and later by the Axis powers during World War II.