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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Alan McRae Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a black and white photo of a man sitting with his back against an exterior wall holding an empty wine glass. Down the left side is red text: "Alan McRae /...	untitled (newspaper clippings) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a collage of newspaper clippings showing images from popular media. The border of the poster is cutouts of eyes. At the bottom left and right are columns of black text with printed...
Amnesty International 1977 Poster printed on white paper. At the center is a black diamond shape with a white interior surrounded by blue, pink, orange and green triangles. Centered at the bottom is "Amnesty International"...	Amnesty International Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a circle with red and orange images of people''s faces. Over the top is a white candle with barbed wire around it at the center and "Amnesty...
Imagine All the People Living Life in Peace 1999 Poster has a color image showing a boy running barefoot in the street, being chased by a white shaded figure filled with blue, red and green printed text. At the center of the body is "Imagine /...	There Was So Much Handwritting On The Wall 1972 Poster printed on white paper with a central grayscale image of a partially collapsed wall. Spray painted on the wall is "There Was So Much" in white and "Handwritting On / The Wall" colored in...
Amnesty International 2000 Poster has a black printed background with a stylized beige and blue image at the center of a figure looking at a dove through bars. At the top and down the right side is "Amnesty / International...	untitled (people walking on paths) 1988 Poster printed on white paper with a stylized image of black shaded figures walking along white paths laid out in a grid around brightly colored squares with abstract images.
AIDS Memorial Quilt 1993 Poster has black edges at the top and right and green edges at the left and bottom, with a black and purple background divided by a diagonal line. In the top and bottom edges is "The Names Project...	Assassination is the Ultimate Means of Censorship 1971 Poster has a stylized color image showing political figures who have been assassinated - Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the bottom right, over a...
It's a Crime to Lose Our Freedon Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background. At the top is "It''s A Crime!! / To Lose Our Freedom" in red. At the center is a color photo of a man and woman lying in bed, with dirty magazines and movie...	Am I Free to Read What I Want at the Library? Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a stylized image of a black shaded figure pulling away a curtain of orange books to reveal yellow books on blue shelves. At the bottom of the poster is a black strip with "am I...
Am I Free to Expect Privacy in Public Places? Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a stylized image of a black shaded figure riding an orange bike through green trees. In the tree branches are white eyes, focused on the figure. At the bottom of the poster is a...	Am I Free to Say Anything I Choose? Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a stylized image of a black shaded figure at a microphone holding a guitar with an orange birdcage with a white speech bubble in it hanging over the yellow background. with blue...
No Drugs Here 2000 Poster is printed on white paper. At the top is "No Drugs" in black with the "o" in red with a red slash through it. At the bottom is the word "here" filled with stylized color images of...	Girl Power 2001 Poster has a black printed background at the center with a pink border with colorful lines, spirals, arrows, dots, blocks, etc. At the top of the black is "have you / got it?" in white. At the...
The Official Unofficial Poser of the 1994 U.S. National Team 1994 Poster has a color photo of a men''s soccer team posing for a photo on the field of an empty stadium. At the top left is a black box with "No / Power To / Drugs" in white. Across the bottom is a...	No Drugs 2002 Poster has a black printed background with a stylized black and white image of a skeleton band palying on stage. The band''s instruments are made of illegal substances - a needle cello, pill...
Sid Vicious Pyramid Posters, designer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white photo of a shirtless man sitting on a bed and smoking. At the top left is "Sid Vicious / drugs kill" in black.	Censorship Causes Blindness Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and red ink printed on white paper. Poster is designed like an eye chart, with the letters spelling "Censorship Causes Blindness". Below the chart is "Read!" in red and "support...
He Who Conceals His Disease Cannot Expect to be Cured 1992 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized color image of a man hugging a painting of himself, with his body positioned the same in both images. At the top is an orange box with "he...	Knowledge is Better than Riches 1992 Poster is printed on white paper. At the top is a purple background with a central stylized color image of a figure in masks kneeling beside a tablet with symbols on it. At the top right is "...
He Who Upsets a Thing Should Know How to Manage it 1992 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a green background with a beige center and a stylized image of two blue figures, torso to torso like a playing card. To the top left of the image is "...	My Friend Has AIDS 1992 Poster has black and red ink printed on white paper. At the top is "my friend has AIDS" in red. Down the length of the poster are four columns of black text - a poem instructing children on safe...