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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untitled (desert scene) 1972 Poster has beige unprinted edges enclosing a mulitcolor stylized image of a cracked desert floor surrounded by a tall wall of birds, flying up toward the purple, yellow and gray clouded sky...	Peace Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster shows a photo of a ceramic relief of a woman holding flowers, with one bird resting on her hand and the other on the bouquet. The scene is bordered by a relief with designs and the word "...
untitled (birds with human heads flying over pyramids) 1977 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black and white image of two pyramids in the desert with two birds flying overhead, both with human heads. The sky is blue. Tied around the pyramid in...	End Israeli Occupation of the West Bank + Gaza 1989 Poster has a gray printed background. At the top is a child''s illustration of a green house with a Palestinian flag flying overhead and a pink house with an Israeli flag flying over hear set on a...
Re-Open the Palestinian Universities Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a yellow background. At the top is a line of black Arabic text and "Re-Open The Palestinian / Universities" in red. Below the text is a stylized black...	Solidarity Week With Palestinian Prisoners and Detainees in Israel's Jails Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a red printed background. Across the top are two lines of Arabic text, one white and one black. Below the text is a multicolor, stylized image of a...
We Stand Against Oppression and Bloody Terrorism in Iraq Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with white text and a central stylized image of a black and white man in a uniform hanging a red and black figure. At the top left of the image is a communist...	untitled (battle scene) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a black background at the top showing a beige and white image of two men crouched with guns aimed toward the right side of the poster. On the bottom is beige and...
Child of the Uprising - The Future is Yours Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a green and black printed background with a stylized image of a little girl with two red bows in her hair reaching up toward the hand of an adult at the right. At the top left is white...	Sabra-Shatila: The Massacre 1982 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a yellow six-point star with a stylized image of the bottom half of a cut and bloody body. At the bottom right is silver Arabic text and "Sabra...
International Conference in Solidarity with the Lebanese and the Palestinian People 1981 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a stylized image of a white and green rose stuck in the stomach of a pregnant woman, whose body is formed by beige bricks. The background is yellow, red...	Segundo Congreso Regional Indigena De Caladas 1989 Poster has a yellow printed background. At the top is "Segundo Congreso / Regional Indigena De Caladas / 14 al 18 de Enero de 1989. / Riosucio, Caladas, Colombia" in green. Below the text is a...
Elevese Leyendo - Editorial Posada Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper and features a stylized skeleton wearing a large hat with feathers and flowers on it. At the bottom is "Elevese Leyendo - Editorial Posada" and contact...	Vencedora Del Fiero Dragon 1985 Poster printed on white paper with black at the bottom edge. At the center is a stylized multicolor of a woman with a sun halo staning on a moon wearing a floral dress and blue/orange shawl with a...
Insurreccion Evangelica Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with a stylized orange, red, yellow, and brown image of a hand holding a torch. At the bottom right is "Insurreccion / Evangelica" in orange.	VIII Centenario 1982 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is "VIII Centenario / Del Nacimiento De San Francisco De Asis" in yellow and red. At the center is a stylized color image of two figures - a monk...
Tel El-Zaatar: Symbol of the Antifascist Resistance Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and red ink printed on white paper. At the top is white Arabic text followed by a black and whtie stylized image of a hand holding up a gun over a destroyed building. Red drops...	Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a blue printed background. At the top is one line of red and one line of black Arabic text. At the bottom is a white background with a black and white photo of a woman, boy and man, all...
untitled (couple farming) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclsoing a multicolor illustration of a man and woman working the land with hoes. At the top right is a black logo and Arabic text. Black Arabic text also at...	untitled (temple) Late 20th Early 21st Century Laminated poster has a stylized color image of a city in a jail cell, with a domed temple/mosque in the fore.
Diciembre Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with a central brown outline around a white background with a black and white image of Che Guevara at the left and a quote, in Spanish, made by the guerilla...	Energa/Economa Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black printed background. At the top and bottom is "Energa / Economa" in orange and red striped text. At the center is a stylized image of a white hand...
...Through People's Struggle the Revolution Goes On Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background. At the top left is "...through people''s / struggle the / revolution goes on" in white, with an Arabic translation at the top right. At the center is a...	International Solidarity Day with Palestinian People 1982 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is an arrow pointing down, filled with blcak and white photos of Palestinians being persecuted, including an image of bodies with red "blood"...