Issa Rae, an award-winning actor, producer, and writer, is shedding light on the history of Black representation in television through her new documentary, "Seen and Heard: The History of Black Television." As the executive producer of this two-part series, Rae aims to showcase how Black artists and creators have transformed the industry while facing significant obstacles.

In an interview with "CBS Mornings," Rae discussed her inspiration for the project, which began development in 2019. She reflected on her childhood in the 1990s, stating, "What inspired me to even get my start was just seeing the people that I love, the people that I know, the people that raised me on TV, and that representation was so essential for me to recognize that I could do it."

Rae noted a troubling trend in the early 2000s when Black characters and shows seemed to vanish from television. However, she observed a resurgence in the 2010s, with a variety of new shows featuring diverse casts. "There were just so many new shows, new shows of color," she said. Despite this progress, Rae expressed concern that the industry is once again witnessing a decline in Black representation.

She attributed this shift to the rise of cable television, which prompted networks to seek broader audiences. "I think the advent of cable made a huge difference where, you know, now these networks had to try to capture the broadest audience possible because they were losing audiences to different niche cable networks," Rae explained. "They have a tendency to go broad then, and broad sometimes just means White, the most eyeballs that you can get."

Rae emphasized that while shows like "Family Matters" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" appealed to a wide audience, there is a perception that Black shows may alienate viewers. The documentary also highlights the significance of representation behind the camera. Rae pointed out that even small details, such as set design, can impact authenticity. "It makes such a difference when you're thinking about something as small as set design," she said. "Sometimes you'll watch a movie and you'll see a Black character's bedroom, and you'll be like 'they would never, what? They would never have that.'"

She further elaborated on how these details extend to a character's clothing and hairstyle, stating, "I don't want to be taken out of a story. If I'm immersed, like those small details really, really matter."

Despite the challenges posed by the evolving media landscape, Rae remains optimistic. "It's another time that I'm confident we'll get through. There's so many opportunities in the digital era and that's where I came from. I find hope in knowing that I can create. If I want to tell a story I'm going to tell a story regardless."

The documentary, "Seen and Heard: The History of Black Television," is set to premiere on September 9 on HBO and HBO Max.