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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Bill of Rights Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "The American Civil Liberties Union / illustrated guide to the / Bill Of Rights" in red, white and blue. Beneath the title is a yellow strip with "an...	S.C. Schoneberg 1976 Poster is printed on white paper. At the top is a reproduction of a painting showing a man in a hat standing in front of an American/British flag. At the bottom of the poster is "S.C. Schoneberg...
AIDS Walk SF Craig Frazier, designer 1998 Top of poster has a stylized image of a foot walking over a plant with a red ribbon on it, printed mostly in shades of green. At the bottom is a green background with "AIDS Walk SF 98" in shades...	Day Without Art 1991 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background. At the top is "Day Without Art" in red and "an international day of action and mourning in response to the AIDS crisis" and a...
The Best of the New York Erotic Film Festival 1973 Poster printed on white paper. At the center is a stylized image of a body from the stomah to just above the knees with the head of a devil with his tongue out over the genitalia. Above the head...	Please Help Support Our Fund Raising Efforts 1996 Right side of poster has a stylized color image showing children and M&Ms working in a factory to make candy, which is falling into bags below - Skittles, Starburst, Snickers, M&Ms. Across...
Corporate Autumn Press, printer, Doug Minkler, artist 1990 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized image of a dog with the head of a man, eating from a bowl with "gov" on the side. Below the image is "Corporate" followed by a...	State of the Union Waller Press 2003 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background at the bottom and a color photo at the top showing a bird''s eye view of the stock exchange and Congress. At the bottom left of the...
Star Wars 1999 Poster has a color image of a boy (Anakin Skywalker) standing next to a structure, casting the shadow of Darth Vader on the wall. At the bottom left is the Star Wars logo in gray and "Episode I"...	Jedi vs Sith 1999 Poster has a color image of three figures fighting with light sabers. Imposed over the background are images of the men''s faces, tinted the same colors as their light sabers. Centered at the top...
Star Wars 1977 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized image of characters from the Star Wars movies, including Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, etc. and the Death Star. At the bottom...	This is Your Brain 1989 Poster has a black printed background. Down the center are color images of an egg in a carton, an egg cracked and cooked in a pan, and the egg in the pan with bacon. Text over each image reads "...
Trust Me Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white stylized image of a man in glasses with his mouth shaped like that of a fish. Across the top is "Trust Me" with "Anti" in red over the top.	Battletech: Battlemaster 1986 Poster has blue ink printed on white paper showing a blueprint for a large robot, with certain features/parts explained in text on the left and right. At the bottom right is a human figure to show...
Star Trek 1992 Poster has a black printed background with white stars, meant to look like outer space. At the top is "all I need to know / about life I learned from / Star Trek" in white and red. Near the center...	Passion is the Very Fact of God in Man 1969 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a background that moves from orange at the top to gray, blue, black and purple at the bottom. Over the colors is white text. Near the center is "Passion...
untitled (names and illustration) 1970 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a highly stylized color image of a head with two faces, a long neck, and a body with wheels and a door. At the top left is a list of names with their...	We Resist Colonization Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized background image of the face of a brown female figure with red features and a white head scarf, set on a brown printed background. Across the top of the poster is "Genocide...
Something Fishy Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top and bottom is "Something / Fishy" with a stylized image of a male in glasses with his lips positioned like those of a fish at the center.	History is About to be Written Out Loud Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a blue printed background with white text at images. At the top left is "History Is About / To Be Written / Out Loud". On the top half of the poster are images of statues, a carriage...
It's Your Move Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a stylized white image of half of a figure''s face. Over the image is "it''s your move. / prevent AIDS." At the bottom of the poster is "for...	Untitled 2001 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is "Beer, Sex Or Drugs? / (decisions, decisions.) in white. Below the title are 30 stylized posters (six columns/five rows) with black and white...
The Wine Map Of California 1992 Poster has a white printed background. At the top are maps of Lake and Mendocino, Sierra Foothills, Sonoma, Napa Valley, Central Valley, South Coast, Central Coast and all of California (the key)...	St. Pauli Girl 1980 Poster has a black printed background with a white oval at the center showing a color photo of a woman in low-cut beer maid dress holding steins of beer. To the left and right are stylized yellow...