The Hub’s Entertainment Watch List: Black And Missing
True crime enthusiasts and fans of documentaries are likely to appreciate HBO’s four-part series, Black and Missing. The series was three years in the making but debuted last year on November 23, 2021. The timely documentary showcases the work of Black and Missing founders Derrica and Natalie Wilson. The Wilson sisters have been spreading awareness on the nation’s Black missing person cases since 2008. The documentary series is the product of Emmy-winner Geeta Gandbhir and award-winning journalist and activist Soledad O’Brien.
Episode one takes a look at cases in which biased law enforcement miscategorized missing Black women and girls as “runaways.” The episode also provides context on how the classification as a “runaway” stems from slavery. The next episode explores cases that highlight media bias and the phenomenon of “missing white woman syndrome.” Episode three showcases the emotional toll a missing persons investigation can have on the families left behind. The series concluded with the final episode offering hope to families of missing persons. The episode highlights that in some cases, a person who has been reported missing can be found and returned home safely.
Some of the cases discussed during the show included Akia Shawnta Eggleston, Keeshae Jacobs and Relisha Rudd who are still missing to this day. Eight-year-old Relisha Rudd disappeared from a D.C. homeless shelter where she lived with her family. She was last seen on March 1, 2014, at a Northeast D.C. motel with a janitor from the shelter. The janitor died from an apparent suicide 30 days later.
Keeshae Jacobs went to visit a friend’s home on September 26, 2016. It is reported that Jacobs told her mother she made it to her destination but has not been seen since. She did not return to her residence and her cellphone nor her bank account have been used. Similarly, Akia Eggleston was last seen on May 3, 2017, in Baltimore City, Maryland. The expecting mother was eight months pregnant when she disappeared and was reported missing after she did not show up for her baby shower.
It is important to note that nearly 40% of missing persons are persons of color, yet, African-Americans make up only 13% of the population. Viewers can expect to be taken on an emotional journey while watching the series and seeing the advocacy efforts of the Wilsons. Since its debut, the docu-series has earned an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Documentary.
