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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Unraveling the Lying Liars of the Bush Dynasty Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a beige printed background with red and black text. At the top is "one historic, lucid, hilarious gathering / Al Franken / ''lies and the lying liars who tell them: / a fair and...	20 to Life: The Life and Times of John Sinclair Gary Grimshaw 2004 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background. At the top left is a photo og a man looking at his hands above a photo of five shirtless men. At the bottom left is a Detroit Artists...
Radio World 1983 Poster has black ink printed on orange paper. At the top is "''a ragingly unorthodox film'' / Times-Picayune, New Orleans / Radio World, which was until fairly recently enjoying a runaway / best-...	Bread & Roses Daniel Ziegler, designer 1978 Poster printed on brown paper. At the top is a red rose surrounded by stalks of wheat. At the center is a text box with music performers listed in three columns at the top, each corresponding to...
Hip Hop in the Park 2004 Poster printed on white paper. At the top left is "UC Berkeley Students For Hip Hop Present / Hip Hop / in the / Park / 2004" in orange. At the top right are color photos of people in a park and...	Filmmakers Festival Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and red ink printed on yellow paper. At the top is "1st annual Davis / Film Festival". At the center is a circle with a cross at the center and black lines radiating out in all...
Dead Prez 2004 Background at the top of the poster are red and brown bandanas with a black strip through the center with "revolutionary but gangsta". At the top right is the Dead Prez logo. At the bottom is a...	Jello Biafra Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a color background with the US Constitution. A printed red stamp at the top left reads "Suspended / Until Further Notice". At the center of the image...
Reggae on the River 1988 Poster printed on white paper with a multicolor stylized image of a river running through a forest. At the top is an image of the earth with a list of performers in red. In the sun above the earth...	untitled (male with dreadlocks) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the center is an illustration of a man''s face. The man has dreadlocks and two roaring tigers over his shoulders.
Reggae Sunsplash 1991 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized image of a black and white figure playing a guitar on a lined green, yellow, blue and red background with circles as a black and white dove...	Rastafari Foundation Benefit Dance 1986 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized image of the profile of a royal male figure. Below the image is "To Develop The Educational And Cultural Exchange Program /...
Rastafarians 1983 Poster has black ink printed on green paper. At the top is a cross-like shape with "Easter Weekend Celebration" arched over the top. Below the cross is the date and time of the event. At the...	Black Uhuru Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the center is a black and white photo of two men and a woman with dreadlocks. At the top is "Black Uhuru / This Wednesday, August 11 / Kabuki Nightclub 1881 Post...
Reggae Sunsplash Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. At the top left and right are business logos with "uniting the world through music" at the center. Below is "Reggae / Sunsplash" with a stylized image...	Native Earth Dreamcatch 2005 Poster advertising the 2005 Harvest Ball held at the Fillmore in San Francisco. At center is a sunflower with white feathers on top and the text "Native Earth Dreamcatch" going across the center....
Reggae on the River 1994 Gypsy Moon, artist 1994 Poster advertising the 11th annual Reggae on the River festival in 1994. Text to left and right show two dates of performances and the musicians performing. Background is black with text in green...	Reggae on the River Vidall, artist 1995 Poster advertising the 12th annual Regaae on the River festival in 1995. Text to left and right show two dates of performances and the musicians performing. Background is white with text in green...
Reggae on the River Rik Rice, artist 1996 Poster advertising the 13th annual Regaae on the River festival. Text to left and right show three dates of performances and the musicians performing. Background is black, with text in green,...	KPFA Holiday Crafts Fair Elly Simmons, artist 1990 Poster advertising the 20th annual KPFA Holiday Crafts Fair. Illustration of a blue vase with an angel playing the horn and floating above clouds and a crescent moon. Background is red with clouds...
Reggae on the River Lorna B., designer 1990 Poster advertising Reggae on the River, a reggae music festival in 1990 in Piercy, California. Image is three posters with names of performers superimposed over a graphic rendering of a river....	Weaponz of Mass Expression Present...Weekend Wakeup... circa 2008 Poster advertising several events in Oakland, California featuring various hip-hop groups. White text superimposed over a black and white image of three figures dancing in front of a chainlink...
Anti-Flag: For Blood and Empire BMG Music, producer c. 2006 Two-sided poster advertising the album "For Blood and Empire" by the punk rock band Anti-Flag. Image is The White House with white crosses on front lawn and fighter jets flying overheard. The sky...	Greetings from the Welfare State Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertisinga CD titled "Greetings From the Welfare State," a compilation of British punk rock bands. Top two-thirds of poster is an image with a vintage look of a woman with a toddler in...