Find Our Missing returns, more unsolved African American disappearances

TV One will air the season two premiere of Find Our Missing, this Wednesday night. The award-winning show highlights the unsolved cases of missing African Americans.

Find Our Missing returns for a second season, ready to do more than merely present unsolved cases.

TV One touts the show's award bestowed by the National Association of Black Journalists and its partnership with the Black & Missing Foundation, Inc.

"Find Our Missing will continue its partnership with the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. (BAMFI) to raise further awareness and attention for the plight of the missing. TVOne.tv will use BAMFI's alerts and latest updates about recent missing persons cases, as well as other content supplied by the organization including tips on how to prevent abductions."

While controversial to some, TV One found an audience that loved the show enough to warrant its renewal for a second season.

"TV One saw unprecedented response to this series which resonated strongly with audiences and the media in terms of how the issue of missing Black Americans has been traditionally addressed," said Toni Judkins, Executive Vice President Programming Production.

"Traditionally addresses" in the context of the show's purpose means that popular national media have not focused on missing black children and adults to the same extent as coverage of their white counterparts.

Prior to its season one debut in 2012, the network's top exec said it this way. "The local and regional press does a good job. The national press doesn't really cover these stories to the extent that they should, and that's a void that TV One will now fill."

Hosted by well known and acclaimed actress S. Epatha Merkerson, of TV's "Law & Order" fame, the show uses dramatized scenes and real footage to craft the back story to abductions both recent and those considered cold cases.

It is hoped that in a similar fashion to the long running "America's Most Wanted", hosted by John Walsh, the stories presented will rekindle memories or new clues that might lead to the end of sad stories for families who want to know what happened.

The season premiere presents the cases of two young people. Stevie Bates, 19 was attending college but seemed to have a change of heart.

She called her mother in April 2012 from a bus station in Pittsburgh, PA and said she wanted to return home to her family and friends in New York. She never made it.

In another heartbreaking story, an autistic teen, Kahil Grey walked out of a Chicago hospital into broad daylight and was never seen again. He was with his father in an elevator and as the doors opened, Kahil ran out, turned a corner through a door and disappeared.

Watch the TV One presentation of Find Our Missing's season two premiere starting at 9:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday January 9. Check local cable listings for channel information. Image: Towers Productions/Find Our Missing

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