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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Lions Love B. Peak, artist, EYR Programs, printer 1970 Poster for the movie "Lions Love," a film by Agnes Varda. Poster is deep pink with an illlustration of three faces at center.	4th UCLA Folk Festival Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising the 4th UCLA Folk Festival. Illustration of a woman wearing a hat with hand on brim, and holding a banjo. The background is filled with yellow illustrations of wheat sheaves in...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertizing a series of presentations around the topic "The Corporatizing of Grassroots Media," held in San Francisco. Poster has black text on a white background. At bottom right are two...	Reggae Explosion 86' 1986 Poster advertising the 1986 Reggae Explosion held at Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Poster has white border with yellow rectangle in the center. Text is in red and green in the yellow area....
Axis of Justice Concert Series Volume I Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for CD titled "Axis of Justice Concert Series Volume I." Poster has perforated areas so an area with the album cover can be separated from the rest of the poster. CDcover has a red fist on...	Living In Clip: Ani diFranco Susan Alzner, photographer 1997 Poster for the live Ani diFranco album titled "Living in Clip." Poster is mostly a photograph of Ani diFranco playing the guitar. Text "Living in Clip" is in red with red paint splattered around...
Ani diFranco: Evolve 2003 Poster advertising the Ani diFranco album "Evolve." Poster is a black and white photograph is Ani diFranco sitting in an empty room, looking out the windows. Album title and orange moth are at the...	Ani diFranco: Evolve Eric Frick, photographer 2003 Poster advertising the Ani diFranco recording "Evolve." Poster shows a black and white photograph of Ani diFranco.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival 1986 Poster printed on white paper. At the top left is a red triangle with "9th / Annual" in yellow. Across the top is "Vancouver / Folk Music Festival" in yellow outlined in blue. Throughout the...	Vancouver Folk Music Festival Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on beige paper. At the top left and right are lists of performers, printed in black. At the center is a collage of images - a black and beige bird playing a banjo, a yellow man in a...
untitled (figures and graffiti text) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with blue electric-like lines. At the top is a multicolor stylized image of a DJ spinning records with a figure holding a pen and another figure wearing a...	The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black and white photo of a man on a stage witha microphone. Scattered over the image is yellow text: "My Way" at the top left "Sex Pistols" near the...
The Beatnigs Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with black and whtie text and images. At the top is "The / Beatnigs" followed by a television shot of two figures. To the left and right of the image are...	50th Anniversary KPFA 94.1 FM/Pacifica Radio 1949 - 1999 Inkworks Press, printer, Rupert Garcia, artist 1999 Poster has a purple background overall. Top of poster is printed with a three by three grid of rectangular, highly stylized, colorful drawings of various famous figures including at top row right...
KPFA Radio: Its Past and Its Uncertain Future Autumn Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a radio dial tuned in to KPFA. Down the left side are black and white photos of KPFA shows and rallies. Over the dial at the top is "KPFA Radio...	KPFA Listener Sponsored Radio 94 FM Fits Printing, printer, Wilfred Owen Brigade, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Black and white poster shows a full page reproduction of a block print. Four portraits appear on the page, one in each corner. The figures at top face forward and each have one arm reaching down...
Giant Steps Richmond Printing Co. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and brown ink printed on cream colored paper. At the top is "Giant Steps / Beyond Jazz" with three close-up images of figures'' faces. Below the images is a list of performers for...	KAOS FM 1972 Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a stylized image of a man sitting in an armchair listening to a radio on the table to his right. The chair and table are positioned in a desert...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "For Sale: / 34,000 Sq. Feet Of Stereo" in green followed by three columns of black text describing a sereo equipment sale. At the center is a stylized...	KQED/FM 88.5 Stereo Radio Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. At the top right is "kqed/fm 88.5 / stereo radio". The rest of the poster has boxes with station shows and news.
Fighting Clowns Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a multicolor stylized image of a crowd of clowns in turbans fighting with gag weapons. A large clown in red, white and blue stands taller than the rest, shooting a gag gun with a...	Profit 2002 Poster has a brown printed background with a faintly visible American flag. At the top is "Profit" followed by a color photo of a desolate street, being held by small hands. At the bottom of the...
Blues Fest 1999 Poster has a stylized brown and blue background image of a crowd. At the center is a paitning of a man seated holding a guitar, with the mountain in the background and an electric guitar in the...	Blues Fest 2001 Poster has a blue printed background. At the center is a stylized blue, yellow, orange and pink image of figures playing instruments. Around the image is a purple splatter-like border. Around the...