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 Struggle for Community 1990 Poster has a beige printed background with a stylized color image of a brick building at the top. Over the image is "the / struggle / for / community" in black. Vertically up the right edge at the...	The Right Wing is Dead Wrong 1982 Poster has a brown printed background with red edges at the top and bottom, thicker on the latter. At the top left is "The / Right Wing / is / Dead" in red and white. At the center of the poster...
Recovery: The Journey Continues 1990 Poster has a central pink cirlce with blue mountain ranges and a pink road running through them. Over the mountains is a yellow sun with "NA" in black. Arched over the circle is "WCNA20 August 30...	WTO Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has red and blue ink printed on white paperboard. At the top left is a blue box with "Resist" in white. At the top right is a red box with "Corporate" in white and "Tyranny" below in red....
WTO Late 20th Early 21st Century At the center of the poster is "WTO" in black, surrounded by a red circle with a slash through the center. At the bottom of the circle is "Just Say No!" in black. At the bottom of the poster is a...	Corporation Power Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on green paper. At the center is a stylized image of a grenade with a CIA tag attached at the left. Across the bottom of the poster is "Corporation Power".
Make the Global Economy Work Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a green background with a horizontal strip of white running through the center. At the top is "make the" in white and "global economy" in blue. At the center, in the white, is "Work" in...	WTO Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a dark blue background. Text, starting at the top, reads "WTO" in white, "if it doesn''t work / for working families" in green, "it doesn''t work" in white and "AFL-CIO" in green.
They Practice What They Teach Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has orange ink printed on off-white paper. The central image shows a skeleton in a graduation gown and cap at the left pointing to a chalk board at the top right as students at the bottom...	Join Coyote Harry Fonseca Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a stylized grayscale image of a coyote in human clothing falling upside down. At the top is "Peace" and at the left is "You / Are / The / World". At the bottom left is a stereo...
Butts Are Gross 1990 Top of poster has three columns/four rows of color images of animal behinds, with a cigarette butt at the bottom right. At the bottom of the poster is "Butts are gross. / Youth Against Tobacco" in...	Crossroads Community 1979 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. Centered at the top is "Crossroads Community (the farm) is / 1499 Potrero Ave. San Francisco, Ca. 94110 (415) 826-4290 / a non-profit corporation"...
No Smoking Please Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background with a central yellow circle with a colorful border formed by various graphic designs. In the circle is orange text reading "No /...	America's Labor Heritage Graphic Communications International Union 1990 Top of poster has a reproduction of a painting showing a family eating dinner at a table, with a woman standing on the counter behind them. To the left and right and above are apartments. Below...
Lawrence 1912: The Bread and Roses Strike 1980 Top of poster has a reproduction of a painting showing figures gathered along the sides of city streets as figures in yellow uniforms march trhough the tall brick buildings. Centered at the bottom...	Officer Smith. Officer Hamilton. In full uniform. Bay Area Rapid Transit Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a color photo of two male figures - the one at the left is wearing casual clothing with sunglasses and a baseball cap while the man at the right is in a BART Police uniform. At...
May 1st Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a green printed background with shapes of the continents in white at the top and three black volcanoes spewing red at the bottom. Across the top is "May 1st / 1 De Mayo" in white. In...	untitled (police officer in a pig mask) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a grayscale image of a man in a police uniform wearing a pig mask and holding a baton across his chest, resting on his left hand which is forming a peace...
untitled (child holding a doll) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster background shows a grayscale image of a child sitting on the side of a building holding a baby doll. Above the child are windoes with signs showing a crown and a dove. At the bottom left is...	The Invisible City Red Pepper Posters Late 20th Early 21st Century Right side of poster has an orange circle with a black image at the center of four ballerinas posing. The circle is outlined by black city buildings. At the left is "The Invisible City" in yellow...
untitled (man in glasses) 1969 Poster has a grayscale photo of an Asian man in glasses speaking into microphones. On the man''s jacket collar is a peace symbol button.	Let a Book Take You Higher Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a digitally generated green grass and blue sky background. Added to the image are color photos of children playing and reading. One child on a rock at...
Report Police Crimes Doug Minkler 1982 Top of poster has a stylized image of a police officer holding a gun. At the bottom of the poster is "Report Police Crimes" in black followed by a piece of white paper with a blue...	Report Police Crimes Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a stylized image of a police officer holding a gun. At the bottom of the poster is "Report Police Crimes" in red followed by a phone number and "shootings, beatings, insulting...