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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Politics Begins at Home Jos Sances, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has red and black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Politics Begins At Home" followed by an image of airplanes dropping bombs on a KPFA house with vultures sitting on the roof. At...	Resign Alliance Graphics, printer, designer, Jos Sances 2001 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a gray background. At the top is "Time For The / Nightmare To End / The Pacifica Board Must / Resign! in black and white with parts underlined in blue....
KPFA 94.1 Jos Sances, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has red and black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a black rectangle with "Only The Terrible Two / (and a few thousand police and armed guards) / Stand Between Us" in white and red...	Support KPFA 94.1 Alliance Graphics, printer, Jos Sances, designer Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster printed on white paper. A graphic of a radio tower printed with text appears at center. "Free Speech" twice and two lightning bolts emanate from the top of the tower. Police...
Wanted Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has red and black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Wanted / For Crimes Against Pacifica Radio Network, Community Radio And Listeners / warning! these individuals depicted below...	An Open Letter to the KPFA Community Jos Sances, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a two-columned letter from radio affiliates. Centered between the columns is "an open / letter to the / KPFA / community" in orange and "we are...
No More Bull Alliance Graphics, printer 2000 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "a panel to explore new paths of repair and inclusion for all in Pacifica Network, / sponsored by the Unitarian Iniversalists for a just community /...	Return KPFA to Us Now Alliance Graphics, printer, Jos Sances, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "Return KPFA / To Us Now" in red. At the center is a green background with a white bird and blue/purple text reading "Corporate Goons, Berry &...
Save KPFA Alliance Graphics, printer, Jos Sances, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has "Free Speech Radio?" in red and green and "Fire Lyn Chadwick" in black. Below the text is a sepia toned photo of police officers with two women standing in between them. Centered...	Free Free Speech Radio Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Free". At the center is a stylized image of a face with a gag. At the bottom is "Free / Speech / Radio".
Free KPFA Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and red ink printed on white paper. At the top is "No More Gags / Free KPFA". At the center is a stylized image of a figure pulling cloth away from his mouth. At the bottom of the...	Save KPFA Alliance Graphics, printer, Osha Neumann, designer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background. At the top is "save KPFA / defend free speech" in red. At the center is a stylized image of a screaming figure and a head with a fist...
Woody Guthrie Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and green ink printed on white paper. The background shows an image of people striking. At the right, over the image, is a photo of a man playing a guitar. Down the left is black...	Harry Chapin 1980 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a red, orange and yellow background. At the top is "Student Entertainment Committee Presents / An Evening With / Harry Chapin" in black and white. At the...
Joan Baez Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. Diagonally across the top is "Joan Baez". At the bottom is a photo of a woman with a guitar.	Art Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a tan printed background. At the top is a stylized black and white illustration of a man kneeling in front of a horse, with a castle in the background and dogs in the fore. At the...
Fahrenheit 9/11 2004 Poster has a red, white an dblue background with an American flag at the top. Over the flag is "Songs And Artists That Inspired / Fahrenheit 9/11" followed by a list of songs and artists. At the...	Holography and the Laser Arts Mission Grafica, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background. At the top left is "Holography And The Laser Arts / media lectures with Nancy Gorglione" followed by the three location, dates and...
Publi(k)ulture Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has yellow and black ink printed on white paper. At the center is a television with a barcode on the screen. Figures are running through the barcode, which has "Publi(K)ulture" above. Above...	Video Drive-In Late 20th Early 21st Century Double-sided poster printed on white paper. Top of poster has a black and white photo og people sitting in chairs watching a giant television, with a city skyline in the background. The sky above...
Concert (Bread & Roses) and Dance Insurgent Squeegee, Lincoln Cushing 1978 Square-shaped poster with a red background and blue horse-shoe shape with several figures dancing and holding hands. Above blue area is a quote from Emma Goldman in blue type on red background....	Berkeley Free Orchestra Bingo Knightly, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Berkeley Free Orchestra. Poster has three illustrations of people, three are playnig instruments. They are on a black background, and there is a 1" white border.
Dwarves Sub Pop, publisher Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising the album "Blood Guts & Pussy" by punk rock band Dwarves. The poster shows the album cover--two naked women covered in bloood with a man in the background also covered in...	Nomeansno: The People's Choice Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising the newest Nomeansno compilation recording "The People''s Choice." Poster has a red border, white background, and large figure of a male with his arms stretched up and out. Text...