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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Delusions of Expediency 1987 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top in a black bar is "How To Avoid Responsibility / For Social Disintegration By / Acting Without Principle / Under The Pretenses Of Utility"....	George Soros Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a red strip with orange text reading "The Goldman Forum On The Press & Foreign Affairs / UC Berkeley''s Graduate School Of Journalism". At the top...
untitled (UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism events) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with white and green text. At the top is "UC Berkeley''s Graduate School Of Journalist / And The Office Of The Chancellor". At the top left is a black and...	People to People circa 1983 Poster has a yellow printed background with orange on the top and right edges. At the top is "people to people." in black. At the center and bottom are four color photographs - a larhe image of a...
No Trespassing Northland Poster Collective 1985 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a green, black and blue image of a fence on the side of the road, with a red and orange sign in front reading "No / Trespassing". At the top of the...	1975 Sister Mary Corita 1975 Poster printed on white paper. At the top are four horizontal streaks of color - blue, purple. yellow and green. In the yellow is "...freedom to differ is not limited to things / that do not...
Virginia Action Founding Congress 1982 Poster has blue text printed on a beige background with white stars at the left. Text reads "Virginia / Action / Founding / Congress / a statewide congress of organizations / dedicated to creating...	The Family Su Negrin, graphic artist 1970 Poster has red ink printed on brown paper with a stylized image of three figures trapped in a small space, with their faces contorted into screams. At the bottom of the poster is "the family".
Rogar Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has red and black ink printed on white paper with a stylized image of a battle scene, with masked soldiers at the left and blood spatters in the sky, where the word "Rogar" is also in red...	We Must Have Order Heidi Brandt, designer, The Print Shop, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a blue printed background with a black and white image of a pyramid, with people of different classes filling each level, with the elite at the top. The bottom tier has the text "Third...
Untitled Young Oxfam, publisher Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a pyramid shape with various levels of characters in rows. At bottom, text reads: "Third World." The bottom row has childred and adults bowed down, with a skeleton at right. The next...	The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake... 1986 Poster with a colorful colored pencil drawing of Albert Einstein''s head, with his hair swirling and blending into clouds in the sky. His face and hair are yellow and orange. Below illustration is...
My Creed Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a photograph of a carved relief sculpture by A. Fiorillo of three figure--two adults and one child--holding a ball or globe. At bottom left is an eagle''s head on a pole. Below image...	World's Worst Oil Paintings 1984 Poster advertising an exhibition and auctionof the "world''s worst oil paintings" to raise money for the B.C. Paraplegic Foundation. Image is a simple painting with a nude figure at center....
Santa Claus (Armaments) Inc. Manchester Free Press, publisher, Richard Slye, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a collage of Santa''s workshop with Santa sitting at a table with a large book in front ofhim. The room is filled with elves, U.S. armed forces vehicles/planes, toyes with human heads...	Americus Liberator for President Rich Jamison, photographer, Wm. D. Steele, copyright holder 1968 Poster with sepia tone photograph of a man with cowboy hat and suit from the shoulders up. Text above photo is in red and reads: "American Liberator." Below photo it reads in blue: "For President...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Black and white poster with a dark photograph of the castle at Disneyland. In the foreground, is a police officer with a megaphone. Just behind is a line of police officers with helmets and...	E.T. 1985 Poster with a watercolor scene from the motion picture "E.T." E.T. stands in the foreground with a little boy (Elliot) in a red hooded sweatshirt and blue pans. E.T. and Elliot are touching...
Nativeland Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with three roads extending from the bottomr with a cityscape up and out across a flat, green area. The word "Nativeland" sits on the horizon, with yellow clouds/swirls behind. There are two...	The Whole Universe is Completely Insame! Su Negrin, designer, Times Change Press, publisher 1974 Poster with two cartoon figures at the bottom right. Figure on left is an old man and is saying "The whole universe is completely insane!" To the right is a younger man asking, "It is?" Background...
Let's get formal for the holocaust: after all it IS the final fling. Space Heater Multiples, publisher, Willyum Rowe, artist 1982 Poster with a illustration of a man with a frown, pulling on the ends of his bowetie. His suit jacket has yellow circle designs on it, and the background is patterned with short lines.	How Weird Street Faire Brad Olsen, artist 2002 Poster advertising the 4th annual How Weird Street Faire in San Francisco. Poster is covered in an illustration of several chunks of San Francisco floating in space. Largest area is a street...
Conflict 1972 Poster with the word "Conflict" in bold letters at top on black background. Below is an image in a red rectangle. Image is the same face repeated three times, the first face is printed as a...	Annuit Coeptis Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster showing the great seal of the United States, a pyramid with a glowing at at the top. Above reads: "Annuit Coeptis." Below in a red banner reads: Novus Ordo Seclorum. The seal is in a round...