It's cliche, but it's also true: You don't know what you don't know until you can see it for yourself. In Episode 26, Michael revisits moments of clarity gained from a move from Oklahoma to Mississippi as a 15 year old.
Confronted with a newfound understanding of perceived racial differences, Michael found a friend and mentor in the wife of one of the Civil Rights movement's most significant personalities. While seldom talking about race, Mary Meredith helped Michael and countless other students bridge the potential divide of skin color by simply being a fellow human being who pursued excellence in work and in relationships.