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.

View results as Grid View results as List Browse Full Collection Advanced Search

High Volume 2004 Poster background has a blue tinted image of a female figure''s torso, wearing only a cut off jean vest to cover her breasts and short denim shorts, unzipped to reveal an imposed tattoo of a...	Biased Sampling Yields High Results Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the center is a stylized image of a hand using scissors to cut a leaf from a marijuana plant. Above and below the plant is "Biased / Sampling /...
The Beatles 1966 Poster fades from pink at th eright ot white at the left and has black text and images. At the center is "Last Live Performance / By / The Beatles / At Candlestick Park - San Francisco / Monday...	Labor Day Weekend Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has red ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Labor Day Weekend" followed by "Bob / Dylan" in a red box. A tthe right is a photo of a man''s face. Down the left is "Plus Special Guest...
untitled (Elvis) 1990 Multicolor, stylized poster shows Elvis Presley playing a guitar in front of a red car parked beneath a yellow moon. The car''s license plate reads "USA / Rock''N''Roll". Poster verso identical to...	Cruisin' 1990 Multicolor poster has "Cruisin''" at the top in yellow and green on a purple background outlined in pink with music notes scattered about. At the bottom is a stylized image of a man and woman in a...
Motorcycle Funeral Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a stylized, multicolor image of a group of men riding motorcycles down a town street, leading a man driving what appears to be a coffin with "Mother...	untitled (face) 1981 Poster has black ink printed on yellowed paper. At the top is an illustration of a man''s face. The man has long hair, a long beard, and eyeglasses. Centered below the face is an illegible name (...
Grateful Dead Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized image of skulls nested in other skulls, with skeletons dancing across the top. At the left and right are dancing koala bears....	untitled (band performing) 1987 Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a stylized image of a ban performing, with other images like a sin, an eye, buildings, etc., surrounding them. The poster has a geometric border....
The Golden Road David Singer, artist 1988 Multicolor poster shows a collage of stylized images. At the left are flowering trees and plants, partially covering naked females. To the right is a futuristic building with mountains below....	Grateful Dead Late 20th Early 21st Century oster has black ink printed on marbled brown paper. At the top and bottom is "Wanted - Live / Grateful Dead". Centered is a photo of six band members posing for a photo on a fur rug.
untitled (Grateful Dead songs) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with green and brown color added at the left, where a forest grows. Poster has a stylized image of a landscape, with people walking around, a river with...	Grateful Dead: The Band From Hell Late 20th Early 21st Century Laminated poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top left is a stylized image of a man with his hand on his forehead and at the top right is a female with her face buried in her...
Harvest Ball 2001 Multicolor poster has a stylized background image of a skeleton standing in front of a blue moon and marijuana plants smoking a joint. Centered at the top is "Harvest Ball" in red. A red and...	Summer 1992 1992 Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a stylized image of a town, with a "Terrapin Station" at the center and a town street at the right. In the fore is a train and a river, with people...
Red Leb Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing an orange background with yellow designed. At the top is a circle with "Red Leb" at the top. At the center of the circle is a horse surrounded by...	Lecture Meditation Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising free meditation classes. Top two-thirds is a black and white image of a person sitting cross-legged with hands open and at knees. Text is typed below. Handwritten in red marker...
Sheldon Norberg's Confession of a Dope Dealer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising a play at the Garberville Theater titled "Confession of a Dope Dealer." Poster is an amber color with yellow and red text and a photograph in a circle at center with a man...	Joy of Cooking Avian Design, designer 1971 Poster advertising an event at the Pauley Ballroom titled "Joy of Cooking." Poster is yellow with green text in center next to an illlustration of a green spoon with purple liquid dripping out of...
Heads: Stay Out of Sight Late 1960s Poster with an engraved image at top of six men looking at a head in a glass jar. Text fills up bottom half of poster.	Twelve Good Reasons To Not Smoke Pot Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster listing 12 reasons not to smoke pot, including physical and mental problems caused by smoking.
Untitled National Screen Service Corp 1968 Lobby card poster for the motion picture "Mary Jane." Large sepia tone image of a police office grabbing the arm of a young man. At bottom left is a woman in striped shirt and mini-skirt dancing...	Games Potheads Play Frank Baginski, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with cartoon illustration of two hippies sitting on the floor smoking marijuana and talking. a single lightbulb hands above. a bed is to the left, with the book "I, Ching." Floor has two...