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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Relix Magazine 1987 Poster has text and images that transition from red at the top to purple and blue at the bottom, printed on white paper. At the top is "Reliz / Magazine / In Conjunction With [Lone Star Cafe logo...	Vote Yes on 19 1972 Poster printed on white paper with a stylized image of a sun with yellow, orange and blue rays above a green marijuana plant. Over the rays are the two components of Proposition 19, Section 11530....
Haight and Ashbury 1980 Poster has an overexposed image of the street signs at Haight and Ashbury, surrounded by a yellow border with red and yellow "petal" design at the top. At the bottom of the psoter is "from the...	untitled (collage) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper, showing a collage of stylized images of figures, animals, a skeleton, a needle and animals. At the top left is "man the smartest animal?" At the top...
Speak Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a collage fo images and text printed in purple. At the left, an arm reaches down over an astronaut toward a parade/protest. At the top center is a mask and "speaks" and at the bottom is...	untitled (swamp/forest) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a pink, green and red stylized image of what appears to be a swamp or forest.
untitled (flower) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a pink background and green and orange stylized images of flowers blooming.	untitled (man in a feather headdress dancing) Double H. Press, printer 1967 Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a stylized image of a man in a loincloth and feather headdress dancing with a spear in his hand. On the shaft of the spear are female faces, with a...
Free Hymie Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Free Hymie" follwoed by a stylized image of a figure behind bars. At the left is a woman shouting "Right on!" labeled "Hymie''s Old Lady...	untitled (dream of octopus Hitler destroying an airplane) 1989 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a stylized image of a boy building a model plane. A tube of glue is stuck in the boy''s nose, causing him to hallucinate a scene of Hitler''s head on a...
Consult the Helping People Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster background shows a stylized image of a blue sky with a rainbow at the top. The rainbow begins melting near the center, over the top of a skull and crossbones with the shape of Wisconsin on...	untitled (box labels) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has green ink printing on browning paper. Poster has 20 labels for (assumably) boxes. Some of the labels have names like "Yohimbe", "Lobelia", "Kola", etc., which others are black, with...
Saladin Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a central purple heart with a blue and white image at the center of a woman kneeling with her arms out, a man standing behind her holding a cross and a figure standing taller behind him...	Wanted: Marijuana Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top left and right are yellow badges with eagles at the top. Centered is "Wanted / Marijuana" in red. At the center of the poster is a green marijuana leaf,...
The Wise Man's Eyes 1971 Poster has a red printed background with a yellow circle at the top. Over the circle is a man in a conical hat, holding an umbrella. The man''s robe has a clock and tree on it and the bottom has...	Follow the Dotted Cross 1966 Poster has drak red/brown ink printed on bright red paper. At the center is a cross surrounded by symbols in a circle, forming a female gender symbol. At the top left is a scene of an angel...
Step Out of Your Mind 1967 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a stylized image of two hallways lined in pink, purple and blue color boxes. At the center is the face of a man, with a crazed look on his face, repeated...	untitled (woman with a pill on her tongue) Robert Fitch, photographer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a grayscale image of a woman''s face with her tongue sticking out with a pill on it. Poster verso is black at the top and white at the bottom. Centered at the top is "Unrestricted Use...
Dirt Cheap 2005 Poster has blue, red and gray text and images printed on pale yellow paper. At the top is a sun with blue rays and "Dirt / Cheap" in the center. Below the sun are two figures, one male and one...	LightShow Bill Ham, designer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a blue printed background. At the top is "Lightshow" followed by abstract green and red shapes and stylized, dotted human figures. At the bottom is "Lightsoundimension" with a stylized...
Armed Love 1970 Poster has black ink printed on white paper, with a light background image showing a man halping another man out of a trench, mirrored on the right. At the center of the poster is a stylized...	Marijuana Reform League Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on neon yellow paper. At the top is "If The People Don''t / Work Now, Marijuana / And Your Constitutional / Rights Will Have To Wait / Till 1976 / sign, circulate, or...
Alienated Youth Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has five rows of a black and white comic strip with red and blue accents. At the top is "Another In-Depth Look At Alienated Youth". At the bottom of the poster is an image of a bearded man...	Stop Punishing Marijuana Use 1972 Poster has green and red text printed on white paper. At the top is "Sign / Petition Here / Stop Punishing / Marijuana Use". At the bottom is "CMI / California Marijuana...