‘Seen & Heard’ Traces The Struggles of Black Television

By Stacy M. Brown
Senior National Correspondent
Black Press USA

Issa Rae is once again betting on Black, this time by turning the lens on the complicated history of African-American representation on television. Her new two-part HBO documentary, “Seen and Heard: The History of Black Television,” debuts September 9 on HBO and HBO Max, and it doesn’t shy away from exposing both the breakthroughs and the betrayals that have defined Black TV. The project, which began development in 2019, features powerhouse voices including Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Tracee Ellis Ross, Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, and Norman Lear. Together, they recount the triumphs of Black storytelling and the persistent roadblocks that have too often stripped creators of the rewards their work built.

“We wanted to make a comprehensive history and showcase, with evidence, that this is how they built the success of their networks on our backs, and we almost don’t have anything to show for it as a result. It’s tragic, and history repeats itself,” Rae said during a keynote conversation at South by Southwest. She explained that she was inspired early by sitcoms like Moesha, Girlfriends, and Martin, but grew disillusioned in the 2000s when those shows vanished and reality television, often humiliating and exploitative in its portrayal of Black women, dominated screens. Rae recalled an infamous moment on Flavor of Love where a contestant was denied a restroom break and degraded on camera. “This is humiliating, and this is all Black women have on television right now,” she said, adding that the disappearance of scripted Black shows pushed her to start creating her own work.

“It makes such a difference when you’re thinking about something as small as set design,” Rae told CBS Mornings, stressing how details like a Black character’s bedroom or hairstyle can determine whether a story feels authentic. “Watching it myself and hearing some of these stories for the first time inspires me. The end of that documentary inspires me to do more and get my shit together,” she said. “Seen and Heard” is hailed as both a celebration of resilience and a reckoning with exploitation, reminding audiences that visibility is not enough if ownership and respect remain out of reach. “It makes such a difference when Black creators control their own stories,” Rae stated.