Plot Synopsis

Executive produced by Soledad O'Brien and director Geeta Gandbhir, BLACK AND MISSING is a four-part documentary that follows sisters-in-law and Black and Missing Foundation founders Derrica and Natalie Wilson as they fight an uphill battle to bring awareness to the Black missing persons cases that are marginalized by law enforcement and national media. The series, which was three years in the making, takes on new urgency given the renewed national conversation on "missing white woman syndrome".

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.

Cases of missing Black people remain unresolved four times longer than those of white people. BLACK AND MISSING pulls 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.

This intimate look at Derrica and Natalie's personal crusade to locate missing Black people also highlights stories of hope and closure as the Black and Missing Foundation contributes to the resolution of several high-profile missing persons cases.

The Black and Missing Foundation works in several ways to change the narrative surrounding missing Black people, providing volunteers for work on the ground, and serving as an important advocacy platform to help bring these stories to light. By keeping these stories and the missing in the news media, Derrica and Natalie put increased pressure on police departments to keep cases open and active.

BLACK AND MISSING includes wrenching testimony from the families and loved ones of missing women, from activists and volunteers with their own stories of loss to law officers and historians with first-hand experience in this field. Participants include John Walsh, Founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; Vince Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights; Dr. Renee Murrell, FBI victim specialist; Glenn Kirschner, former Assistant D.A.; Debra Sines, former Assistant U.S. Attorney; Thomas Stack, Baltimore Head of Trafficking; T.J. Smith, Baltimore Chief of Police.

BLACK AND MISSING debuts as a two-night event, with the first two episodes premiering on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 from 8-10pm ET/PT on HBO and the final two installments debuting the next day (Wednesday, November 24) from 8-10pm ET/PT on HBO:

Episode 1 (Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT): As Black and Missing Foundation founders Natalie and Derrica Wilson grapple with several cases of missing Black women and girls whose disappearances have been dismissed as "runaways" by law enforcement, Natalie shares her own experience with racial profiling. Later, the women race against time to save a 16-year-old girl from sex trafficking.

Episode 2 (Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 8:57pm ET/PT): Black and Missing volunteer Derrick Butler sheds light on the circumstances behind his sister Pamela's 2009 disappearance, while TV personality and advocate John Walsh shares how he channeled his son's unspeakable murder into the creation of a national center for missing children. Then, Derrica and Natalie examine media bias and the phenomenon of "missing white woman syndrome."

Episode 3 (Wednesday, November 24, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT): Derrica and Natalie join the search for a young mother who was eight-months pregnant at the time of her 2017 disappearance, a case that underscores the emotional toll on families. Meanwhile, Derrick and Detective Fulton pursue new leads in Pamela's case, and Natalie learns that the police officer who arrested her son has a history of racial bias.

Episode 4 (Wednesday, November 24, 2021 at 8:55pm ET/PT): In 2014, the Black and Missing Foundation joins the search for eight-year-old Relisha Rudd, who disappeared from a Washington, D.C. area shelter under mysterious circumstances. Then, after nearly 50 years, a Baltimore woman recounts her journey to learn her true identity. Later, Derrick and Natalie each find closure -- and share messages of hope.