Media, Twitter Flip Over Elizabeth Warren’s ‘BLM’ Black Lives Matter Blocks in Background of DNC Speech

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren may not have actually mentioned the Black Lives Matter movement during her DNC speech, but she generated significant buzz when people noticed the letters “BLM” spelled out in her classroom backdrop.

Warren’s speech on Wednesday night focused on President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus, her own early struggles with childcare, and the Joe Biden/Kamala Harris ticket’s plans to help Americans, but she got a lot of attention for the background at the Early Childhood Education Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

All the cable news networks mentioned the detail. MSNBC’s Joy Reid credited Rachel Maddow for noticing the blocks, and said they “gave me a little bit of life,” while CNN’s Angela Rye described it as “Woke Sesame Street,” because “B-L-M was nicely placed in the black — background,” then had a laugh at the slip.

Over on Fox News, Bret Baier described the background, and said it was “signaling [long pause] well, whatever,” which drew a laugh from Chris Wallace.

The background also caught the eye of a number of publications.

But the letters — which actually weren’t blocks, but rather foam letters leaning against cubby caddies — were an even bigger hit on social media, setting Twitter ablaze. There were lots of people who loved it.

“BLM” spelled out in kid blocks in Sen. Warren’s background here. We see you Liz. pic.twitter.com/gDlmH3NTVV

— Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) August 20, 2020

A friend pointed out that BLM is spelled out in blocks behind Warren. #DNC2020

— Brittney Cooper (@ProfessorCrunk) August 20, 2020

my president in an early child care center with “BLM” spelled out with blocks in the cubbies
??? pic.twitter.com/2pObX9F979

— Meryl Alper (@merylalper) August 20, 2020

Warren leading with childcare as an economic issue is just ?.

Also props to the advance staffer who arranged the letter blocks to say #BLM.

— Amy Spitalnick (@amyspitalnick) August 20, 2020

“BLM” spelled out in blocks in Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s background. Love to see it. #DemocraticConvention ????#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/WtJ6c70qXA

— Michele Wright? (@michelewrightTV) August 20, 2020

Did you peep the BLM blocks in the background?

— Tishaura O. Jones (@tishaura) August 20, 2020

Of course @ewarren spelled out BLM in children’s blocks in her background ♥️ 11/10 @ratemyskyperoom

— Tara McGowan (@taraemcg) August 20, 2020

I really don’t need a white person whitesplaining to me why I supported the candidate with the most racially conscious policies and rhetoric.

The BLM blocks tonight were a very nice gesture.

— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) August 20, 2020

OK “BLM” SPELLED OUT IN KID’S BLOCK LETTERS BEHIND ELIZABETH WARREN WE SEE YOU ? pic.twitter.com/BqetraxEpA

— Ana Bretón (@missbreton) August 20, 2020

Others were less impressed.

You were so easily impressed by some damn letter blocks yet this your retort to the BW VP who paid homage Black women trailblazers, literally said BLM, said the names of George Floyd & Breonna Taylor? Dread-fcukin-ful. Economics don't solve healthcare racism etc so she is right. pic.twitter.com/rNK1GDBa4M

— BlackWomenViews Media (@blackwomenviews) August 20, 2020

These black blue checkmarks twist themselves into pretzels to bash @BarackObama, @MichelleObama and @KamalaHarris but are creaming their pants because a white lady stood in a classroom with BLM spelled out in building blocks in the background. Somebody please make it make sense.

— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) August 20, 2020

were the children’s blocks that spelled BLM behind warren actually “subtle” if there is now a whole newscycle around it? anyway…

— Ben Kesslen (@benkesslen) August 20, 2020

Schools can’t open, millions have lost jobs, millions have lost healthcare, we’re facing an eviction crisis, 40% of small businesses will permanently close and we’re supposed to be impressed that democrats spelled out BLM with blocks and that Joe passed VAWA in the 90s.

— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) August 20, 2020

I’m sure the NEA would approve…Sen. Warren uses an elementary school to offer discreet tribute to BLM, whose members continue to justify and encourage violence and looting. https://t.co/OAv2KXkD4e

— David Asman (@DavidAsmanfox) August 20, 2020

There’s a certain contingent of feminists whose contempt for Hillary Clinton is palpable. When she calls out white privilege or says “Black Lives Matter”, they claim she’s fake. But the same feminists swoon over Liz Warren for having BLM blocks in her video.

I don’t get it.

— Kara Calavera (@KaraCalavera) August 20, 2020

As it turns out, though, “BLM” wasn’t the only Easter egg on Warren’s set. Her campaign team put together a thread of photos detailing other “surprises from the set. In addition to those letters, there was also a “DBFH” (Dream Big, Fight Hard) shout-out, a mailman costume to signal support for the Postal Service, and letters that spelled out “Joe,” and more.

Text DBFH to 30330 ? pic.twitter.com/Oz6YgW9chT

— Warren Democrats (@TeamWarren) August 20, 2020

Spotted: Converse (a Massachusetts company!) and @JoeBiden! pic.twitter.com/InQrwioDpL

— Warren Democrats (@TeamWarren) August 20, 2020

As Rye noted, the theme of Black Lives Matter ran throughout the night, most directly in the speech by Senator Kamala Harris, who spoke the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and declared that “there is no vaccine for racism. We’ve gotta do the work.”

Watch Warren’s speech — and her clue-filled background — above.