‘Black and Missing’ documentary series to debut on HBO Max
The series follows Derrica and Natalie Wilson, founders of the 'Black and Missing Foundation.'
HBO is gearing up for several documentary premieres in the coming weeks, starting with Black and Missing, a series highlighting racial disparities in missing persons cases across the country, set to premiere in November.
The series comes from Emmy winner Geeta Gandbhir and journalist, author and activist Soledad O’Brien. It follows Derrica and Natalie Wilson, sisters-in-law and founders of the Black and Missing Foundation, a nonprofit that strives to prove “equal opportunity for all missing.” The series highlights the foundation’s “uphill battle to bring awareness to the Black missing persons cases that are marginalized by law enforcement and national media.”
“Haunted by these stories of vanished loved ones and driven by the need for attention and assistance for these forgotten women, former law enforcement officer Derrica and public relations expert Natalie operate a grassroots organization that raises awareness in communities, alerts media outlets to the plight of thousands of women and children and urges police departments to allocate more resources to this scourge,” reads the press release.
While the series has been in development for some time, it premieres at a time filled with national conversation surrounding “missing white woman syndrome,” especially related to the case of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, a New York woman who captured protracted national attention when she went missing. After Petito was found dead, it was believed her fiancé Brian Laundrie, who himself was found dead earlier this month, murdered her.
he documentary promises to “pull back the curtain to explore how systemic behaviors and attitudes stem from centuries of deeply rooted racism. The series also exposes the stark disparity in the media coverage of white and Black missing persons.”
The series will also highlight various testimonies from families and loved ones of missing women, law officers and historians who have direct experience in the field and activists/volunteers. John Walsh, founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Vince Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and Dr. Renee Murrell, FBI victim specialist, are among those featured in the documentary.
Black and Missing is the first of a host of upcoming documentary content on HBO Max: Life of Crime: 1984-2020 premieres Nov. 30, The Slow Hustle premieres Dec. 7, and The Murders at Starved Rock runs Dec. 14-15.
The first two episodes of the four-part Black and Missing series will debut on Nov. 23, with the final two episodes airing on Nov. 24. Following the premiere, all four episodes will be available to stream on HBO Max.
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