Racial disparities have been a part of the American landscape for decades. One area where you wouldn’t think these disconnects would appear is missing person cases. HBO’s four-part series Black and Missing highlights these disconnects. The educational documentary series would make a great topic of discussion for media studies classes.
In 2020 alone, over 100,000 black girls and women went missing, many with no media coverage. In contrast (and the recent Gabby Petito case highlights this) Caucasian girls and women who go missing have their own news value attributed to them: Missing White Women Syndrome (MWWS). Spearheaded by Emmy-winning TV editor Geeta Gandbhir and CNN’s Soledad O’Brien, the docuseries follows the ongoing work of the Black and Missing Foundation. Its founders, Derrica and Natalie Wilson are portrayed as relentless pursuers of justice.
It is never argued that cases like Petito’s aren’t worthy of media attention. It’s that they also deserve coverage when it happens to a black woman, a Latina, or an Indigenous woman. The series stresses that these missing women aren’t seen as a priority for law enforcement. The four-part miniseries is also unique in that it suggests topics and strands that could command their own shows. Issues like media bias, sociopolitical divides, sexism, racism, and poverty are all hinted at, and provide the viewer that the lack of focus on these missing women isn’t as simple as it may look. Black and Missing should be included in your race and criminal justice collection.