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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Social Reform by the Supernatural Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized blue/green tinted background image of a woman with her face turned up toward the sky. At the top is "int eh 1960''s, we saw the power of honesty and / social action. in the...	Transcendental Meditation Rainbow Zenith Press Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has brown ink printed on beige paper. At the top is "Transcendental / Meditation" followed by a headshot of a man with long hair and a beard. Below the image is "of / Maharishi Mahesh Yogi...
Krishnamurti Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. At the top is an image of a man''s head. At the bottom is "Krishnamurti / with a silent mind / an historical perspective on his life and teachings /...	Create an Ideal Society 1976 Poster has a light green background with white designs. At the top is "Create / An / Ideal / Society" in green. At the center is a color headshot of a man at the left and "everyone is invited / to...
Autumn Festival 1979 Poster has a yellow printed background with orange text and an orange border with yellow floral designs. At the top is "Autumn Festival / October 26-28 / Civic Center Park, Grove & Allston Way...	Harpstrings of Lemuria 1979 Poster has a color background image of an ocean beach beneath a blue sky with pink coulds. At the top of the poster is "harpstrings / of / Lemuria" in yellow, "a conference for God consciousness"...
Meditiation Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on red paper. At the top is "Meditiation" arched over a symbol with multiple triangles. Below the image is "Mind=Energy / unleach the power of your mind with / ancient...	Meditation Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a purple background. At the top is "Meditation / silence-Earth - ecstasy-heaven" in yellow. At the bottom is a stylized image of a man in a loincloth...
Dreams that Fly Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a blue background. At the top is the earth. Below the image is "Dreams That Fly / In A Free Concert Of New Age Music" followed by the featured performer...	30th Anniversary Celebration Golden Gate Park 1997 Poster consists of red, blue, orange, black and purple print on white cardstock. Image depicts the San Francisco cityscape with buildings bent in the shape of a heart surrounded by musical notes...
Free Pot 1974 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized image of a figure with red hair in a yellow shirt and blue pants holding a pipe and leaning against a hill with a large mushroom growing out...	I Remember Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster looks like a scan of a stapled piece of paper with a collage of images. At the top is "I Remember / caught / in the act" in red and black. At the top left is "fear" in red and at teh top...
Tribal Stomp 1978 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "Tribal Stomp" in blue. Below the text is an orange box with a list of bands in black. At the bottom of the orange is a white box with a list of poets...	Ripped Van Winkle Inkworks Press, printer, Victor Moscoso, artist 1988 Multi-color poster shows a man with long hair and a beard in purple and blue at center on the page. The man has a third eye on his forehead, and he holds both hands up to the sides of his head....
Wash Prom Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. Background has a stylized image of a naked female. At the top right is "Dance Band / Blues Concert / Buffet Dinner". At the bottom is "Wash Prom". At...	Dennis Peron 1998 Poster has an orange, white and yellow wavy line background. Black text reads "Dennis / Peron / California / Governor June ''98 / hope - empowerment - compassion / for a better world". At the...
untitled (stylized chicken/turkey) 1967 Poster has black ink printed on white paper showing a stylized cross section of a chicken/rooster/turkey.	untitled (two-tone graphic design) P.D. Spoecker, artist 1967 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a graphic design that''s purple on the left and orange on the right.
Turn Your Brain On Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster shows a green monster with multiple eyes emerging from the head of a statue on a blue and puzzle-design background. At the top is "Turn Your Brain On!" At the bottom is an empty...	Psytopia Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has gray printed borders enclosing a psychadelic, multicolor background. At the top is "Psytopia" in pale purple. At the center is a green and blue oval-like shape with a stylized mushroom...
Mind States VI Stevee Postman 2005 Multicolor poster shows a woman in glasses floating over water with two flowers sprouting out at the left and right, below a cloudy blue sky with stylized eyes. At the top is "Mind States VI /...	Flying Other Brothers Chris Shaw, artist 2003 Poster has a stylized background of brightly colored, psychadelic mushrooms. At the top is "Flying Other / Brothers" in shades of blue. At the bottom are three locations with dates below in blue...
4:20 Steve Marcus 1999 Poster has black printed edges. At the top is a stylyzed image of a woman with dark hair and thick black eyeliner smoking a marijuana joint. On the woman''s cheek is a green marijuana...	Hempen Ale Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a printed border of green marijuana leaves enclosing a brown tinted background image of frogs at a barrel and people carrying a pot in the foods. At the top of the poster is a stylized...