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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American Pie Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has brown ink printed on white paper with a brown border filled with white stars. In the background is an illustration of people dancing to a violin with a pie sitting on the table in the...	Redwood '85 Inkworks Press, printer 1985 Poster has a black printed background with a central blue and purple image of the Americas over a record, with a dove holding a rose to the top right. At the top of the poster is "Music Festival...
The World Culture Rave Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a purple and black graphic design. Multicolor text down the poster reads "A Benefit For / Free Radio Berkeley 88.1 FM / The World Cutlure Rave / a visual...	Bread & Roses 2002 Poster printed on beige receycled paper. At the top is "5th anniversary benefit for BREAD / Bread & Roses / come celebrate the crumbling of corporate control & the rise of community power...
Two Nights of Political Documentaries 2005 Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. At the top left is a stylized image of the Statue of Liberty in front of a tall tree. To the right of the image is "Democracy Unlimited of / Humboldt...	Imagine a Country 2006 Poster has a red printed graphic design background. At the top is a blue rectangle with the Universal Pictures logo and "presents a special advance screening" all in white. At the top left is a...
Killing Time Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background. At the top is "DH Productions / Presents / killing time" with the DVD/video logo to the bottom right. At the center is a color photo...	The Crucibles 5th Anniversary Fire Opera 2004 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background. At the top is "the Crucible''s 5th anniversary fire opera / with participating artists from San Francisco Opera & American Bach...
The Workshop from Hell Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has brown ink printed on white paper. At the top are the credits for an opera production. At the center is a stylized image of an infant with horns playing with a frog on tope of a globe....	Hair Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Hair". At the center is a stylized image of a shiny, hairless figure standing in front of a night sky. At the bottom are the dates, time...
The Tender Land Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized image of a family floating in the sky, with their farm on the bottom edge of the poster. At the bottom is "The Music...	Pol'y Morph Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Polymorphous Perverse Productions presents: / pol''y-morph" followed by a stylized image of a menacing figure holding up bacteria,...
The Life and Work of Lester Cole 1985 Poster has blue ink printed on white paper. At the top is a photo of an elderly man. At the bottom is "Join Us / In Remembering / the life and work / of Lester Cole / 1904-1985 / 2:00p.m. Sunday,...	Free Radio Berkeley Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper with a stylized background image of a bird flying over a city carrying a radio. At the top is "Free Radio Berkeley". At the bottom is "104.1 / setting...
Support Alternative Radio 1988 Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. Down the left side is a vertical comic strip titled "the Station that made / a Man out of ''Max''". At the top right is "support / alternative radio...	Free Radio vs. The FCC Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has green ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Round III / tune to 104.1FM / Monday November 23 @ noon / for a free speech marathon / 24 hours a day of community radio". At the center...
Day of Dead Air Street Festival Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background with red text and a black and white stylized image at the right showing skeletons dancing on top of San Francisco buildings. At the...	Exhibit WBAI Come! Unity Press 1977 Poster has rainbow text and images printed on white paper. At the top left and right are stylized profiles of two figures. Centered between them is "Karmic Komix". Below is "New York Lost Final...
Pearl Harbor Day 1984 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Kalx and AAA present: / Pearl Harbor Day / Fri. Dec. 7 at Ruthies / 9pm / Dead / Kennedys / Plus" followed by a stylized image of...	Benefit for KALX Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. At the top is "Double Vision and / Rining Cars" followed by "Benefit For / KALX" at the left and "The Farm" with address, cost and times at the right...
Dr. Strangelove Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with white text and a black and white image at the top of a man in sunglasses. Over the photo is "The Roxie''s 15th Anniversary!" At the bottom of the poster...	Comic Book Confidential Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on pink paper. At the top left is "Comic / Book / Confidential / a new film by Ron Mann". The rest of the poster has cartoon-like frames of figures, animals and...
Parallel Universe 1997 Double-sided, multicolor poster has a border of om symbols on recto enclosing stylized images of a female figure holding a flower, a central alien-like figure surrounded by various images of the...	Before the Revolution 1978 Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a background photo of a man and woman talking. At the bottom left is "Bertolucci''s / Before The / Revolution". At the bottom right is a white...