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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El Pueblo Salvadoreno... Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized image of three brown hands gripping the green stem of a purple flower on a red background. Text below the image reads "el pueblo salvadoreno golpea hoy / para florecer manana...	untitled (Che Guevara) Elliott Erwitt, copyright, Personality Posters Mfg. Co. Inc. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a color photo of Che Guevara holding a cigar.
untitled (man with hand in the air) Personality Posters Mfg. Co. Inc. 1968 Poster has a black and white photo of a man in a fur hat with his right hand in the air, in front of a sign with Spanish text.	Artists Call Against U.S. Intervention in Central America Claes Oldenburg, designer 1984 Poster has black text and a red images printed on yellowed paper. The image sihouette shows figures working together to pull down what appears to be a semi-peeled banana from the edge of a cliff...
Music of Struggle Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a purple background printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized blue and white image of three face, set over a red, white and blue Chilean flag. In the white portion of the flag is...	untitled (aerial illustration of a coast) 1982 Multicolor poster has a stylized, aerial view image of a coastal village, with boats paddling towards the huts on the beach. A channel bisects the village and delivers water to fields carved out...
The Year of Living Dangerously Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing an orange background with a stylized image of a man walking with a cigarette below an image of a man and woman embracing. At the top of the poster is "A...	Peasant Paintings from Huhsien County of the People's Republic of China 1978 Poster printed on white ppaer. At the top left is "peasant paintings / from Huhsien County of the / People''s Republic of China" in black. At the top right is a list of institutions and 1978...
La Lutte Continue Personality Posters Mfg. Co. Inc. 1968 Poster has orange ink printed on white paper. At the top is "La Lutte / Continue". At the center is an image of people standing toegther with their fists in the air. At the bottom is a string of...	China Trade Fair 1980 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized black image of a panda, sitting on red text at the bottom of the poster that reads "China / Trade Fair ''80 / The Official Exhibition Of The...
Steps Toward International Cooperation 1966 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a blue and pink map. At the top center is "steps / toward International Cooperation". Orange boxes throughout the map detail efforts being made in...	Boycott Classes Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black paint sprayed on white paper. At the center is a stylized image of protestors with the text "Boycott / Classes!"
Voices of Sarafina 1989 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "The Children Of Apartheid" in yellow and black with a black and white photo of three laughing children in hats, set on a green background. At the top...	Not Suitable for Framing Jos Sances 1983 Poster printed on white paper. At the center is a stylized image with a gray background of pink and red hands, positioned so the forefingers and thumbs form a blue triangle with a white shape...
International Vintage Poster Fair 1994 Poster has a black and white image of a man with a moutache standing on a ladder with a paint brush. A floppy disc has been overlaid in his proper right hand. The poster behind the figure is...	Plaza de Toros de Madrid 1972 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized, muticolor image of a matador and a bull with the text "Plaza de Toros de Madrid / Sabado 11 De Marzo 1972 - a las 4 de la tarde / Gran...
Vote Jos Sances 1992 Poster printed on white paper. At the center is an illustration of a parade, with a car at the center. A sign on the side of the car reads "Vote / Conservalib / Republicrat / No Changes!"	El Toreo de Tijuana Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized, multicolor image of a matador and a bull. Below the image is "El Toreo De Tihuana / Mexico / Domingo 28 de Agosto de 1955 - a las 4 p.m...
Convergence '95 1995 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a multicolor diagram with a green background. At the bottom of the image is a legend, identifying various media outlets. At the top left of the poster is...	Untitled 1993 Multicolor poster has "Sex / Drugs / and / Democracy" down the center in black, imposed over stylized images of marijuana leaves, marijuana joints, portesting, rural terrain, etc. At the bottom of...
Get Your Recommended Daily Allowance of Irony Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a strip of orange and "NewCity.com / news, entertainment, sage advice from Alternative America". Near the center is "get your / recommended / daily...	untitled (Les Miserables VHS release) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a predominantly red background. At the top is "the dream / Cast / the dream / Concert / the ultimate / Video" in black and white. At the bottom is an image of...
California Public Radio Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a gray background that has a peach colored image of a profile of a face, with a blue strip over the eye and a red triangle over the ear. In a green strip at the...	Bob Marley 1979 Poster has a multicolor photo of Bob Marley, with his name printed in orange at the bottom right.