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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Meher Baba Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top right, left center, and bottom right are images of a man with a moustache. Arched over the top of the top right image is "Meher Baba" with "...	Nonviolent Communication 2005 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a light blue background at the top and dark blue at the bottom. Across the top of the poster is the infamous quote by Mahatma Ghandi - "be the change you...
Experience Inner Peace 2003 Poster has a blue printed background. At the top is "Experience Inner / Peace" in blue and white. At the center is an orange background with a central stylized image of a man with four arms...	7th Heaven Yoga Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster is an advertisement for yoga classes. At the top is a stylized image of a woman in a yoga pose on her forearms, with an om symbol between her raised legs and head. To the left...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster background looks like stylized, light blue waves, with a ripple at the top. Spiraling around the ripple is the text "Don''t Worry, Be Wavy." repeated in different colors. At the top left...	Springtime Ragas 2006 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing stylized orange borders with brown, orange and white designs. At the top is "The Ali Akbar College of Music Presents" in black. At the center are three...
Songs of the Spirit Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster background is printed in varying shades of green. Across the top is "songs of the spirit" in blue. Down the left are black and white photos of performers. Down the right is a list of dates...	Sub Culture Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "20,000 Sq Ft Of Intensity - 6 Rooms / Sub / Culture" followed by the dates. At the center is "Techno/Industrial" followed by performers...
Techno Tribal 2005 Multicolor poster has a flower-like design at the top with a computer chip at the center. Above the circular design is "Mystic Beat Lounge Presents / The Harmony Festival Saturday Night" in white...	Sub Culture Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "20,000 Sq Ft Of Intensity - 6 Rooms / Sub / Culture" followed by the date and featured performers. At the center is information on the...
Power 1993 Poster has a stylized, multicolor background showing a psychadelic light bulb. At the top is "presenting a night of / electromagnetic bliss / Power". Down the left is a list of "guides". At the...	untitled (explosion) 1980 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a grayscale image of what appears to be an aircraft exploding, with shrapnel and a skull-like face imposed over the top. Black text down the poster reads...
The Birth of the Sun Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a color image of the sun, mirrored at the bottom of the poster. Text at the top reads "Ceremonial / Groove / presents / the birth of the sun" with artists listed at the center...	See the Light 1993 Multicolor poster has a background that looks like a crude, cracked road running through the desert. At the top left and right are Black Sun Rising and NASA logos with white text at the center...
Wally World 1993 Poster has a printed rainbow colored background. At th ecente ris an image of a clown juggling psychadelic balls. At the top is "Welcome to the Next Level / Saturday / April 24th / 1993". Down the...	Exotic Erotic 2003 Multicolor poster is an advertisement of Perry Mann''s Exotic Erotic party. At the center, a woman in leather straps and boots stands with a whip in her hand. At the top is a star with a stylized...
Imagine a World of Possibilities 1994 Poster has a stylized, multicolor background image of a body of water, mountains, and a cloudy sky. In the fore is a shaded figure with a sun at his core standing open armed on a gray rock. At the...	untitled (comet) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has silver and yellow ink printed on black paper. Background shows a comet flying through outer space, with Saturn at the bottom left. At the top right is "we sang in the year of seventy...
untitled (marijuana on an American flag) 1978 Poster has a color photo of green/brown marijuana piled on an American flag. In the marijuana is a white invitiation with black text reading "the July 4th Coalition / for marijuana reform /...	Festival Parade With Dancing Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster has stylized images at the left and right of women in long dresses standing near ponds, with trees in the background. At the center is an oval. At the top of the oval is a...
Psilocybin Jar 1976 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a blue background with an image of mushrooms, with the tallest one in the fore. Centered on the bottom edge is "Psilocybin Jar" in black.	I Want to Take You Higher Moscoso 1997 Poster has printed background that transitions from blue at the top to green at the bottom, with red and pink text. At the top is "I Want To Take You Higher / The Psychadelic Era 1965-1969 / May...
Summer of Love 1987 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a blue background. A tthe top left is a red peace symbol and at the top right is a blue and orange triangle with an Egyptian eye at the center. Centered...	Fat Freddy Says Rip Off Press, printer 1979 Poster has green printed edges enclosing a yellow background with a stylized color image of a man sitting on a patched orange chair with a yellow cat on his lap. The man has a crazed expression...