Black and Missing
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Powerful docu about racial bias and missing persons.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Black and Missing
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Co-produced by journalist Soledad O'Brien, BLACK AND MISSING is a four-part documentary series about the advocacy work of the Black and Missing Foundation. Sisters-in-law and organization founders Derrica and Natalie Wilson have dedicated themselves to raising awareness about Black missing persons cases. Cameras follow as the women help search for missing members of the Black community in various ways. Interviews with them, and family members of some of the missing individuals, also offer details about specific cases, while bringing attention to the systematic racism that guides law enforcement when investigating their disappearance. The important role that media has in helping solve missing persons cases is also discussed, while evaluating the racial biases that guide media organizations' decisions to cover them. Throughout it all, archive footage from law enforcement and media coverage is featured.
Is It Any Good?
The powerful TV docuseries highlights and analyzes the historic lack of interest in, and due diligence of, law enforcement and media to push forward Black missing persons cases. It showcases how Derrica Wilson, a former police officer, and Natalie Wilson, a public relations expert, have been important advocates for the missing, as well as for their families who are desperately trying to find them. The details offered to contextualize their work -- e.g., 40% of all reported missing persons in 2019 were people of color, despite the fact that missing young White women received the most media attention (a phenomenon known as "missing white woman syndrome") -- are eye-opening. So are the connections between historic racism in the United States and how law enforcement makes decisions about how much time, effort, and resources should be committed to cases involving Black and other people of color. But Black and Missing manages to discuss these details, and to feature families talking about their missing loved ones and what they have actively done to find them, without sensationalizing their stories. The result is a series that raises awareness about the issue and underscores specific systemic changes that must be made to treat all missing persons cases with the urgency and commitment they deserve.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way social media are used by predators. How can we protect children when they are online? How can the internet be used to help children and other missing persons?
According to people interviewed for Black and Missing, what things must happen in order to eliminate the racial biases surrounding missing persons cases? Is it just changing the way media covers missing persons cases, or retraining police?
What steps should be taken if someone you know goes missing? Who do you contact? What information can you share that will be helpful? How can you get the word out? For additional resources, you can contact The Center for Missing and Exploited Children or The Black and Missing Foundation.
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 23, 2021
- Cast: Derrica Wilson , Natalie Wilson , John Walsh
- Network: HBO
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Activism
- Character Strengths: Communication , Compassion , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: March 2, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate