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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The Easy Taste 1982 Top of poster has a color photo of a woman sitting in front of a fireplace with a bottle and glass of Schlitz beer. At the bottom is a red background with the Schlits logo at the top left and "The...	The Wine Map of California Barbara Philips, artist, Shenson International, publisher Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is a map of California with various sections highlighted and enlarged to show the different wine regions in the state. The poster was designed and illustrated by Barbara Philips (bottom...
Beer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is shows the head of a man with his arm out-strecthed holding a glass of beer. The poster reads "Beer/ Helping Ugly People Have Sex Since 1862!" Below the title is Capital Concepts, Inc.''s...	Captian America Marvel Comics Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is a sylized image of superhero Captain America. Speech bubbles next to the superhero say "Drugs Destroy Lives" and "Join The FBI And Me In Our Battle Against Drugs." The logos for Drug...
Mr. Camel's Kids Club D. Minkler Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is multicolored with a stylized image of Micky Mouse in the center. Instead of a face, the character has a human organ. The character is holding a pack of cigarettes called "Little Puffs"...	People Who Know Say No To Drugs Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is black and white and features nine professional race car drivers posing next to a race car. The signature of each driver is at the bottom of the poster with the words "These drivers know...
The Rights of All Americans Weekly Reader Corporation Late 20th Early 21st Century The poster illustrates the first five amendments to the United States Bill of Rights: freedom of religion, speech, press, assemply, and petition. Each of these rights is accompanied by an image...	Untitled (Hand and Wire) T. Donatoh Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white boarder with blue background. In the foreground is a white hand wrapped in barbed wire suspended in the middle of the poster. Below the hand is a bricked structure with a tower on...
sHell On Earth D. Minkler Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is multicolored with an image of several figures facing two men, one short and wearing orange and the other tall wearing army fatigues and the Shell Gas company logo on his arm. Below the...	Personal Computer Technology Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is white with blue text. The poster depicts a stylized bathroom scene with various components being given labels that correspond to computers. For example, the plunger is called "back-up...
Earthquake Sawyer Press Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster depicts a city scape with parts of the city, cars, and roadways falling into a large body of water. There is a large white cross stituated on a hillside in the background next to a "...	National Air and Space Museum Lowell Nesbitt Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster shows stylized drawings of various aircrafts with a winged male figure in the foreground. Below the title reads "Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C. - July 1976."
United States Constitution Preamble John R. Velasquez, Smart Products, Distributor Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is black and white. It has the preamble of the U.S. Constitution. Below the preamble is the date the constitution was ratified, as well as information about the design, printing, and...	Untitled (Skulls) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is orange with a white border. It shows four rows of skulls above the words "Tu eres el hombre que tiene el mismo derecho que otro sobre la tierra."
The Disaster At Home ACTUP Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white background with a pink cell-like form in the center. Printed over the cell-like form is information about AIDS and expanding the definition to include women as well as men, as...	To Fund The Fight Against AIDS Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is black and white and shows Christine Dinard posing in a white shirt and socks. The poster has her signature on it, "Love, Christine Dinard," but also has a handwritten inscription on the...
Visual AIDS Louis Sherman & Co. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is black and white with the title in the upper center of poster. The poster''s subtitle is "A Day Without Art, December 1, 1989, A national day of mourning and call for action in response...	The Names Project Quilt Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster shows a group of people sitting around a textile, "quilt" from title. The people are of varing age, gender, ethnicity. They are sewing and working on the "quilt." The person in the center,...
Safe Sex Is Hot Sex King Cole Inc. 1979 Poster is prodominatent black and white with the title in red. The poster is of a couple engaged in a sexual act with the subtitle "Use A Condom Everything." The subtitle is also in translated...	UNEP Global Youth Forum Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a white border with central image of an earth wearing glass, baseball cap, and headphones. The image was created by artist Joao Alessandro F. Cardoso with the artists signature at the...
Child Abuse Hurts Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has gray text and a gray and white stylized image printed on white paper. At the top is "Child Abuse / Hurts... / the child - the family - the community". At the center is an image of a...	untitled (city) 1977 Poster has a stylized color image of a city block, with tall gray buildings and shops mostly blocking the blue sky. Poster verso has black ink printed at the bottom right: "6 / Monday, July 14,...
How to Build Global Community 2002 Poster printed on white paper with colorful stylized edges showing people from all over the world. At the top is "How To Build / Global / Community" in black followed by a stylized map of the...	Hawaiian Islands 1950 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a stylized color image of the Hawaiian Islands, with marine life swimming in the water. At the bottom left, a man with a tall torch holds a sign that...