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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Brydge-Brydge-Brydge-Brydge Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising an event with Brydge and Dakota. White text on blue background, with illustration of the earth at center.	Tattoo & the Breaks: An Open Invitation Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising food and dancing at an event in berkeley, California. Black text on white background. Line drawing illustration in center of a crowd of people gathering and look at a three-...
Gil Scott Heron & Band Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising a concert with Gil Scott Heron & Band. Poster is black and white. image in center of man wearing white shirt and suspenders. illustration of globe in background.	Native Joy for Real 2004 Poster advertising a recording by Joy Harjo. poster has dark blue text on a white background at bottom. Top part of poster has the album cover--an illustration of a woman playing the saxophone,...
Annual Labor Day Rock 'n Roll Pig Nic Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising an the annual Labor Day Rock ''n Roll Pig Nic. Pink text on a black background. Poster lists the names of several rock and roll acts, and there is an illustration of two pigs...	Alternative Independent Music Festival Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertisting the Alternative Independent Music Festival. White text on red boxes, all on tope of a purple and white patterned background.
The Caspar Flats Rhythm and Blues Review 1986 Poster advertising a music concert on July 4 at the Caspar Inn. Blue and red text on white background. Illustration has title within the shape of an American flag. Below flag is the base of the...	Ricanstruction: Love + Revolution 2004 Poster has a black printed background. At the top are six collages (two columns, three rows) of color images. Vertically up the left is "ricanstruction" and down the right is "love+revolution". A...
Performance Politique Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the center is a grainy background image of prisoners in striped uniforms in a prison yard. At the top is "Performance / Politique". At the bottom...	Cold War Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster has a stylized black and white image of a soldier with a gun in the air standing in front of a red flag with an orange sickle and hammer logo - a USSR flag. At the top right is a...
Breakdance Vietnam Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a gray printed background. At the top is "Breakdance Vietnam" in gray. At the top left is a yellow box with a red View-Master in it. Above the toy is "Breakdance Vietnam" in black and...	Music is not Sex Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. Text reads "Music Is Not Sex / Television Exists In A Vacuum. / Adolf Hitler Wrote The Book / On Modern Advertising. Rock And / Roll Has Nothing To Do...
Music - Medicine for Healing 1999 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a black box with stylized redm green and black music notes on a purple, gray, orange and pink scale. Scattered are musical terms in green. At the...	Big Fun Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Big Fun" with the words separated by a stylized skull iwth dreadlocks. At the center is a peace symbol with smaller peace symbols behind...
The Great 1999 Benefit Tour 1999 Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. On the top edge is "Benefit For High Lonesome Farm Co-Op" handwritten in marker. Below the text is a gray stylized image of a snaking tree with hands...	Anticon Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges with a black background. At the top is "anticon. / Anticonquistadors'' New World Tour" followed by two black and white photos of figures with guns - one a child...
A Festival of Sound Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a yellow background and orange border. At the top center is "A \| Festival / Of \| Sound! / Memorial \| Day \| Weekend / Saturday / May \| 29" in red. At the left is...	Dorothea Lange Fellowship 1983 Poster has black left and right edges with a central black and white Dorothea Lange print of three men standing in front of a tent. Up the left edge is "Dorothea Lange Fellowship". On the right...
The Most Important DVD in Election History 2005 Poster has a patriotic red, white, and blue background. At the top is "The Most Important DVD / In Election History" in white. At the left is the DVD box for the Daily Show with Jon Stewart "...	Best of Target Video 1985 Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a background image of a target on the coast of a landmass with an aircraft flying at the top. At the top center is "KALX And ASUC Super Present"....
101 Classic Commercials Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a television screen with an image of a man holding boxes of "Grecian Formula". To the left is "KALX / presents". At the center, on the...	Video Festival 1993 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background. At the top is "East Bay / Media Center / presents" followed by a stylized image of a face with a video camera at the left and a star...
S.F. Premier Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with photos of people performing. In a white triangle at the right is "S.F. / Premier / 8pm/$2" at the left and "A Video Profile Of San Francisco / Art...	Reggae Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a collage of images of human figures, At the center is "Reggae". At the bottom left is "Umoja 28 Friday" and at the right is "Session 29 Saturday...