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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Phil Ochs Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a blue and white photo of a man playing a guitar. At the top is "Ron Delsener Presents / Phil Ochs". At the bottom is information on the March 27...	U2 Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a purple tinted photo of a singer onstage with a microphone, with a drummer and hanging cars in the background. At the top left is "U2U2U2 / Zoo TV Tour...
untitled (Hells Angels LBJ) Bob Dara 1962 Poster has a black and white stylized image of a man in a leather vest with knuckle tattoos sitting on the back of a motorcycle named "Harley Bird". This satirical poster was...	Alternative Tentacles Records Chuck Sperry, artist, copyright, Firehouse Kustom Rockart Company, printer 2004 Poster printed on white paper. At the center is a stylized image of a figure with a face like a gorilla who resembles Che Guevara. At the top of the image is a list of performers. At the bottom is...
We Come With the Dust Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a collage of stylized images of human figures, with a prominent figure at the left holding a guitar. At the top right is "we come with the dust /...	Wings of a Century Jos Sances 1990 Poster printed on white paper. At the center is a multicolor,s tylized image of a yellow and red horned figure contorting his body in front of green, blue and yellow palm leaves. At the top of the...
The Big Chill 1984 Poster printed on white paper with a beige background. At the top is "how much love, sex, fun and / friendship can a person take? / the story of eight old friends searching for something they lost...	Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a blue background with "Imagine / Festival / Of Arts, Issues & Ideas / 200 Events, 70 Venues, 6 Days, 1 Community / Freedom - Community - Democracy...
Artburn Doug Minkler, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a multicolor, stylized image of a figure with "Artburn" below. At the bottom of the poster is a definition of artburn, which is "artist indigestion;...	Yevtushenko and Friends 1972 Multicolor poster printed on yellowed paper. At the top is information on the January 28 event "Poetry In Concert / Yevtushenko / And Friends" in pink and black. At the bottom is a stylized image...
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...	untitled (man on cross and poem) Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poetry 1970 Poster has a black printed background with white text at the bottom and a black and white image at the top of a man on a cross with people in uniforms standing below. The text at the bottom is a...
Pete Seeger Weinstein Co., copyright 2007 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a black and white photo of a man with his back to the viewer, holding up a banjo in front of a crowd of seated people. At the top left of the image is...	untitled (diagram) 1992 Poster has a yellow printed background. At the left is a black and red diagram of lines and arrows. The right edge of the poster is red, with yellow and black text about the tradition of art and a...
Artburn Doug Minkler, artist 1982 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a multicolor, stylized image of a figure with "Artburn" below. At the bottom of the poster is a definition of artburn, which is "artist indigestion;...	Palestina Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a mutlicolor, stylized image of a woman in a head veil playing a flute as a bird flies by. At the top of the poster is "Palestina...''terra di lattee e miele...'' / la nostalgia di chi...
Front DMZ Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a multicolor image of a pair of hands holding a large green orb with a tiger imposed on the right and usrrounded by other abstract images. At the...	Ni Putes Ni Soumises Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white photo of a line of women. Over the top is "Ni Putes Ni Soumises" in pink. Ont eh bottom edge is "Marche De Femmes Contre Les Ghettos Et Pour L''Egalite Du 1er Fevrier...
untitled (Jewish images) 1987 Poster has a silver background. At the top are brightly colored image reproductions of Jewish art/posters. At the bottom are calendars for October and November, 1987.	Demo 1999 Poster has a black and white image of a city skyline seen through a chain link fence. At the top left is "Demo" in red and "30.10.99 14h limmatplatz zurich" in white. At the bottom is "stopp den...
Tradicion y Contemporaneidad Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a gray background with a border of various color blocks. At the top are red, yellow and blue brush strokes, with a paint brush at the top right. Below the brush is a black background...	Cancion Protesta 1967 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a green background. At the top is a yellow background with a stylized purple and green flower, with red blood dripping from one of the flower''s thorns....
untitled (basket-woven head) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black background with a stylized, multicolor image of a figure with woven basket fibers as a face. At the top and in the body of the figure is foreign text.	untitled (street festival) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a mutlicolor, stylized image of a street festival, with people carrying signs with Greek text on them.