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What happens when you discover your family tree has branches on both sides of America's racial divide? Dr. Spenser Simrill Jr.'s journey began with simple curiosity about his family name and evolved into a profound story of reconciliation that's now a CNN documentary premiering September 21, 2025 at 10p.

In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with Dr. Spenser Simrill Jr. about his discovery while teaching family history at the University of Georgia. Spenser found an alternate spelling of his surname that unlocked an unexpected connection – in 1871, a Black woman named Harriet Simrill testified against the Ku Klux Klan in a federal Reconstruction trial. Given the distinctive nature of his family name, Spenser realized there must be a connection through enslavement. This suspicion was confirmed when he found a Facebook suggestion for a Black man his age from his father's hometown with the original spelling of their shared surname.

Eleven years later, the two families reunite annually, have produced an Audible podcast called "Once Removed: An American Family Reunion," and are featured in CNN's "A Family in Black and White." Their story challenges the notion that denial is the only way to handle difficult historical truths. Instead, Spenser demonstrates how confronting these realities leads to healing and wholeness. Spenser's work reminds us that we are one human family despite our painful history. By choosing to be storytellers who look unflinchingly at reality, we become "peace warriors" committed to recognizing our fundamental interconnectedness. Listen in for the full conversation. 

Dr. Spenser Simrill Jr, is the creator of the Once Removed podcast and a TEDx speaker on racial healing. His research has informed reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland, Liberia, and across the American South—culminating in the first historical marker in South Carolina to mention the Ku Klux Klan.

His work has appeared on CNN’s The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper, Audible Originals, The New York Times, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and TEDx Asheville.

His students have won multiple international competitions, including two wins and an honorable mention in The New York Times Best Student Podcast Contest. Spenser lives with his family in Arden, North Carolina, and teaches at Christ School.

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