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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An Evening with Michael Moore Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing an orange background with a black border with orange dots. At the top is "An Evening With" in black and "Michael / Moore" in black in an ornage box with...	Crisis of the California Commons Inkworks Press, printer 2007 Poster has a red background overall. The top edge of the poster has text in white: "Crisis of the / California / Commons". The center of the poster has a large yellow drawing of the state of...
UFO Contact: The Evidence Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white photo background of a flying saucer in front of a tree. At the top is "UFO Contact / The Evidence" in red and "A Symposium Investigating / Extraterrestrial Encounters...	Confessions of an Economic Hit Man Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a yellow image at the top and a black and yellow image at the left of a man in a suit weraing sunglasses and holding a briefcase. Across the top is a list of...
Hope in Dark Time: Beyond Bush Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has gray and black ink printed on light gray paper. At the top is "hope in dark times: beyond Bush". At the center is a stylized image of a female figure in a gas mask. Below the image is "...	Atomic Bombshells Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a pink and white background image of illustrations of 1950s women. At the top is "The Atomic / Bombshells burlesque" with a stylized image of a bomb. At the top right is the host''s...
Voices of a People's History of the United States 2006 Top of poster has a stylized red, white, and blue American flag with images of historically significant individuals. Presenters are named at the top in white followed by scattered white, gray and...	Economic Human Rights i arte media, designer 2001 This poster includes a blue and white photograph of a woman holding a child in the left half of the page. Large text above the image reads "Economic Human Rights: / bus tour" and an endorser''s...
Practice Random Acts of Terrorism and Senseless Acts of Sabotage Late 20th Early 21st Century Poste rhas green ink printed on black paper showing a stylized image of a figure drawing an anarchy symbol. Below the image is "Practice Random Acts Of Terrorism / And Sensless Acts Of Sabotage...	A Few Words About the Sixties Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a color photo of buttons/pins from the 1960s, taken on a white backround. At the top of the psoter is "A Few Words About The Sixties:" in black.
The hottest places in hell... Doug Minkler, artist, Inkworks Press, printer 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 /...	untitled (comic strip) circa 1971 Poste rhas pink printed on white paper with a 3x2 comic strip. Top left has a figure''s face with "How Should / One Approach / A Problem?" Top center has a frog with "A...
untitled (dragon on world) 1972 Poster has red and black ink printed on newspaper. Poster has a stylized image of a giant red dragon perched on top of the earth. A thought bubble coming from Central America reads "Year Of / The...	Anne Frank 1995 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Anne Frank / And The World Today / A Call For Tolerance And Compassion". At the center is a collage of images of children''s faces, with...
untitled (Margaret Mead quote) Typographical Union Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has purple ink printed on beige recycled paper with the text "Never Doubt / That A / Small Group Of / Thoughtful / Committed / Citizens / Can Change / The World; / Indeed / It''s The Only...	San Francisco: One Neat City! circa 1985 Poster has a black printed background with a central image of uniformed police officers. Above and below the image is "San Francisco / One Neat City!" in white.
Direct Action Speaks Louder than Words Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. At the top is an illustration of tents pitched on train tracks in front of a train. Vertically down the upper left edge is text about Vancouver...	Rags Make Paper Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top center is an illustration of three figures dancing while reading. Text on the poster reads "rags make paper / paper makes money / money...
Space Shuttle Missions Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a brown background. At the top is "Space Shuttle Missions" in white. Below the text are the seals from the Space Shuttle mission from 1981 to 1990....	Untitled 1996 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. Taking up nearly the entire poster is an oval formed by various political logos. To the top left and right of the oval are detail for the June 6, 1996...
Devolving Europe: Nations Re-Emerging from States 1982 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing an illustrated map of Europe, with brown and green land and deep blue seas. The nations of Europe are names in yellow banners, with their respective...	If Learning is an Act of Exploration... 1992 Poster has black and red ink printed on a grayish background image of a compass pointing North. The poster has a border of alternating red and grayish lines. At the top is "if learning is an act...
It is the Duty of Every Revolutionary... Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on glossy white photo paper. At the center is "It Is The Duty / Of Every / Revolutionary / To Yell / ''Theater!'' / In A Crowded Fire" in black and red. Surrounding the text are...	Support Big Red Hiney Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "support / big red Hiney / ''the peace candidate" in blue and red, continued at the the right with "for / City Council / a man that''s a real / ''Asset...