What is the Difference Between Black Lives Matter and Movement for Black Lives

The main difference between Black Lives Matter and Movement for Black Lives is that Black Lives Matter is a global network with more than 30 chapters worldwide while Movement for Black Lives is a broader organization that consists of various separate, but similar organizations like Dream Defenders, Black Lives Matter and Assata’s Daughters.

Black Lives Matter and Movement for Black Lives are two organizations that fight for freedom, liberation and justice for black people. There are many similarities between these two since Black Lives Matter is a part of the broader Movement for Black Lives. Movement for Black Lives is, in fact, a coalition of groups that represent the interests of the black community.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Black Lives Matter 
     – Definition, Features, History
2. What is Movement for Black Lives
     – Definition, Demands
3. What is the Difference Between Black Lives Matter and Movement for Black Lives
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Black Lives Matter, Movement for Black Lives

What is Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter is a global network with many chapters all over the world. Moreover, its mission is to fight against white supremacy and intervene in violence against the black communities by the state and vigilantes. Black Lives Matter began in the use of the slogan and hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin, an African-American teen. After the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, two African Americans that died by violent actions by the police, in 2014, this organization started to become recognized nationally. Since then, this organization has protested against many other deaths of African Americans by police actions.

Furthermore, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi are the founders of this movement. It actually began as an online platform to provide anti-racist activists with a set of principles and goals. Black Lives Matter chapters commit to the organization’s list of principles and goals; however, there is no central structure or hierarchy as Black Lives Matter is a decentralized network. Moreover, at present, there are about 16 Black Lives Matter chapters in the U.S. and Canada.

What is Movement for Black Lives

Movement for Black Lives or M4BL is a coalition of groups that represent the interests of Black communities. M4BL formed in 2014 as a response to the increasing violence against black people, with the purpose of forming a united front and establishing a political platform. In fact, this coalition consists of more than a hundred organizations. Black Lives Matter network, Dream Defenders, the National Conference of Black Lawyers, Assata’s Daughters, and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights are some organizations included in this movement.

Furthermore, the main six demands of this movement are as follows:

• End the war on black people – This includes demands to put an end to criminalization, dehumanization, and killing of black people.
• Reparations – recompensating for the past as well as continuing harm to African Americans
• Invest-Divest – this includes investing in the education, health and safety of black communities, as well as, divesting from abusive forces including prisons, police, surveillance and exploitative corporation
• Economic justice – rebuilding the economy to make sure Black communities have collective ownership, not just access.
• Community control – direct democratic control of the laws, institutions, and policies that affect the black communities
• Political power – reconstruction of the current political system in order to create a real democracy where African Americans and all marginalized people can effectively exercise full political power

Difference Between Black Lives Matter and Movement for Black Lives

Definition

Black Lives Matter is a global network with many chapters worldwide while Movement for Black Lives is a broader organization that consists of various separate, but similar organizations like Dream Defenders, Black Lives Matter and Assata’s Daughters.

Nature

Moreover, Black Lives Matter is a decentralized global network with many chapters while Movement for Black Lives is a coalition of groups that represent the interests of Black communities.

Conclusion

Movement for Black Lives is a coalition that consists of more than hundred organizations; some of these include Black Lives Matter network, Dream Defenders, the National Conference of Black Lawyers, Assata’s Daughters, and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. In contrast, Black Lives Matter is a global network that began in 2013. The main difference between Black Lives Matter and Movement for Black Lives is that Black Lives Matter is a decentralized global network with many chapters while Movement for Black Lives is a coalition of groups that represent the interests of Black communities.

Reference:

1. “About Us.” M4BL, Available here.
2. “Black Lives Matter.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 June 2020, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Black Lives Matter Protest” By Johnny Silvercloud –  (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Grayscale photo of group of people, sign, person, crowd, protest, HD wallpaper” (CC0) via Wallpaper Flare