Political Posters

The “All Of Us Or None” (AOUON) archive project was started by Free Speech Movement activist Michael Rossman in 1977 to gather and document posters of modern progressive movements in the United States. Though some early works are included, its focus is on the domestic political poster renaissance that began in 1965 and continues to this day. When Rossman died May 12, 2008 his family donated the collection to the Oakland Museum of California. More …

The Archive gathered posters from all streams of progressive activity — from movements of protest, liberation, and affirmative action, trade union and community struggles, to electoral and environmental organizing, community services, and visionary manifestos. It is strongest in work from the San Francisco Bay Area, but its scope is national: approximately one-quarter of its holdings come from out of state, primarily New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. These are complemented by a representation of international work. The collection consists of approximately 24,500 distinct titles.

The collection includes examples from well-known graphic artists including Malaquías Montoya, Emory Douglas, Rachael Romero, Rupert Garcia, Yolanda Lopez, Favianna Rodriguez, Carlos Cortez, Nancy Hom, Juan Fuentes, and Jos Sances, as well as material from seminal collective workshops such as La Raza Silkscreen, the Royal Chicano Air Force, Japantown Art and Media, Kearny Street Workshop, and Inkworks Press. Perhaps more important, the depth and breadth of the collection reveals the contribution of numerous lesser known or even anonymous artists whose cumulative impact on this democratic public art form has yet to be properly understood.

The cataloging of the AOUON Archive was made possible by a generous grant from the Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation.

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The hottest places in hell... Doug Minkler, artist 1988 Poster has an image in of a machine destroying buildings and dropping bombs. The image is in shades of orange, yellow, blue and green. Below the image reads, "The hottest places in hell are /...	Phil Chenier Day 1993 Poster printed on white paper with a yellow backgound. At the top is a black strip with "2nd annual Berkeley High School Alumni Game" in white. At the top left is a white box with "Phil / Chenier...
The Greatest Show on Earth Frank Cieciorka, illustrator 1968 Poster has black and red ink printed on browning paper and has an illustration of a man in a hat holding a cane, resembling Uncle Sam, pointing behind him at a voluptuous woman on the stage in a...	The Home Team's International Roster of Official Terrorists Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top are blue strips and the text "The Home Team''s / International Roster / Of / Official / Terrorists" in black and red. To the left and right are black and...
Planet People Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a collage of photos of people from all over the world. At the bottom center is an image of earth with "planet / people" over the top.	Hands Across America 1986 Poster has a purple printed background with off white text. At the top is "Join Us / Hands Across America (TM) / May 25, 1986" followed by a stylized image of the contiguous United States with a...
Untitled 1969 Poster has brown ink printed on light brown paper. At the top is a stylized illustration of a figure in a crown raising his hand with a star in the background. Below the image is "Earth, this is...	The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / Walter Lippmann"...
The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / Ralph Ellison"...	The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / Adlai E. Stevenson...
The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / Felix Frankfurter...	The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / Albert Einstein /...
The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / Will Rogers / More...	The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / Thomas Paine"...
The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / Roberto Rosselini...	The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man smoking a cigarette. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance...
The Issue is Substance 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom are pieces of the same image - a digital, pixelated image of a man. At the center is "The Issue Is Substance / John F. Kennedy"...	The Girls Pele de Lappe Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a central image of three elderly women, with two smiling as the third looks on.
untitled (people surrounding a car) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has blue ink printed on white paper with an image of people surrounding a vehicle, reaching their hands up toward the armed figures in the back.	Guerrilla Times Change Press, printer 1970 Poster has black ink printed on blue paper. At the center is a stylized image of a skeletal figure pulling open his chest to reveal a smiling sun.
First Annual Convention 1969 Poster has red and blue ink printed on yellowed paper. At the top is "First Annual Convention" in red followed by the 1969 dates in blue, "Roseburg" in red and "Association To Preserve Our Right...	XI World Festival of Youth and Students The Print Shop, printer 1978 Poster printed on white paper. At the top left is "For Anti- / Imperialist / Solidarity / Peace And / Friendship" in black block letters. At the center is a stylized image of a black and white...
Terrorism San Francisco Poster Brigade, designer 1981 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is an image of a man in a suit making a fist with his right hand. Bulging eyes and angry features have been overlaid over the image. In the...	Abuse of Power Comes as No Surprise 1990 Poster has black text printed on white paper. The lines of text alternate between English and Italian, starting with "Abuse Of Power Comes As No Surprice / Ascolta Quando Il Corpo To Parla..."...