BLM Logo

BLM Logo PNG

From the emblem of the community comes the spirit of strength, unity, and struggle. Through the BLM logo, members of the organization conveyed their invincibility and readiness to go all the way in protecting the rights of blacks. The sign demonstrates people defending their rights.

Meaning and History

BLM is a brand without an owner. Of course, it has three founders: Opal Tometi, Patrisse Cullors, and Alicia Garza. But they did not register trademarks, allowing the movement to develop naturally. The Campaign Against Racism and Violence inspires its followers with powerful symbolism, including the famous slogan, yellow and black logo, and raised fist emblem.

But since Black Lives Matter has no control over these visual signs, other protest groups take them over. Most often, we are talking about the opposition-minded Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter, who advocate for the civil rights of police officers and white people, thereby devaluing BLM’s messages.

What is BLM?

BLM is an abbreviation for “Black Lives Matter,” a movement fighting against racism and advocating for social equality for minority groups. It organizes events to draw public attention to discrimination issues and strives to influence US legislation. The movement was founded in 2013 following the death of a Black teenager.

From a legal point of view, BLM cannot be called a brand. The creators did not register the organization because they did not plan to make money from it. At the same time, they made sure that the movement had its own recognizable identity, reflecting the struggle for social justice. To do this, the activists turned to the Design Action Collective for help. An Oakland studio designed the Black Lives Matter logo for the Tumblr page.

The creative team created the text sign in three days: a black slogan written in capital letters against a yellow square background. Only the word “LIVES” was yellow and inside a black rectangle. The designers did not use complex elements so that the text could be easily reproduced by hand without professional printers and copiers. They came from the protesters’ limited budget.

Few people know, but the inscription is only half of the logo. In the original, it was supplemented with the image of a man holding a dandelion. The illustration did not catch on, so a simple sign based on a powerful slogan became an independent symbol. It is used without additions, penetrating the public consciousness along with revolutionary ideas.

Since the hashtag and its associated slogan are not proprietary, they are used by people whose beliefs are contrary to BLM’s mission. This is done to discredit Black Lives Matter, to present it as a movement for violence against police officers.

Font and Colors

Another element that creates visual cohesion is the raised fist emblem. This symbol is closely intertwined with the BLM philosophy. It used to be used by various marginalized groups to protest injustice and oppression. Anti-fascist organizations popularized it and then picked it up by members of the Black Panther Party. Thus, the raised fist became synonymous with the struggle for the rights of people of African descent.

The Black Lives Matter movement adopted this rebellious label in 2014 after a police officer shot an unarmed Michael Brown in the head. Initially, the fist was a call not to shoot, but now it has become a symbol of defiance. In 2015, a graphic sign was created based on this gesture. Demonstrators paint it on buildings and sidewalks.

Design Action Collective designed the BLM logo in three days, choosing the free version of Impact for the inscription – bold chopped Anton. There are only two colors in the palette: bright yellow and black. The raised fist is usually black and white.

BLM color codes