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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Know Your Enemy Paul Avery, Sally Weare, Shane Weare 1970 This poster includes a pixelated photograph of a child with blood on its face. Large text above and below the image read "Know Your / Enemy". This poster was originally...	Napalm No_l Late 20th Early 21st Century This horizontally-oriented poster features a photograph of a man holding a child that has been badly burned by napalm in the left half of the page. "Napalm / No_l! Is in the right half of the page...
Tomorrow It May Be You Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster is made up of a black-outlined square in the top 2/3 of the page with a blank space at the bottom. There is a row of crosses against a black background inside the square along with "...	American Documentary Films circa 1970 This orange poster is double-sided and has identical prints on both sides. It features an image of a woman walking away and looking back over her shoulder. She is wearing a conical hat and...
Peace On Earth 1970 This horizontally-oriented poster features four feet against a background of green grass below and black space above. The two outer feet are pink and are oriented with their toes to the bottom of...	The Last Cry 1970 This black and white poster features an illustration of a skeleton in a suit, bowtie, and top hat. The figure is visible from the chest up and there is a star on the top hat. There is a three-...
Gypsy Girl Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster is made up of an illustration of a woman with long, black hair and a red and pink patterned scarf tied around her head. Her skin is purple, she is naked, and she is wearing numerous...	Untitled (Wilted flower peace sign) Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster has an orange background with white margins. There is a sunflower in the middle with a peace sign in the center of its petals, several of which are wilted to leave two petals mimicking...
Dark Ages Celestial Arts, publisher, Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1968 This horizontally-oriented blacklight poster features three panels of illustrations. The central panel depicts Death in a black robe pointing at a soldier in a green uniform who is crawling...	Untitled (Peace sign hand) 1969 This poster has a black background inside narrow, white margins. A hand in the center holds up two fingers. Between the two fingers is a circular image of a tree in a starry blue sky with a yellow...
Live! 1968 This poster features a large, yellow ankh with a dove in the center of the top loop. The background at the top is blue and there is a floral design in the background below. Large, green text...	Peace Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster has a light blue background inside white margins. There are two hands and forearms - one black and one white - holding a white dove in the center of the page. Black and white text...
Peace Late 20th Early 21st Century This horizontally-oriented poster features a black and white photograph of a large group of male and female soldiers in uniform. Some are holding signs of newspaper front pages with "Peace" on...	Peace Please 1969 This poster has a black background and a yellow and orange peace sign in the center. Very large, yellow text above and below the peace sign reads "Peace / Please".
Peace On You Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster is made up of a drawing of a red fire hydrant against a yellow background. There is a yellow peace sign in the top of the fire hydrant and black text at the bottom of the page reads "...	Pentagon Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized illustration of a four-legged monster with sharp teeth. At the bottom left of the image is a white text box with "in 1953,...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster includes a black and white image of a child sitting on a staircase in the right half of the poster. There are irregular red, blue, and white lines resembling an American flag in the...	War is not Healthy Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a yellow and red flower with a green stem growing up the left side of the poser. To the right of the flower and through its stem and petals is "war / is not / healthy / for children /...
War is not Healthy Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a yellow and red flower with a green stem growing up the left side of the poser. To the right of the flower and through its stem and petals is "war / is not / healthy / for children /...	War is not Healthy Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a yellow and red flower with a green stem growing up the left side of the poser. To the right of the flower and through its stem and petals is "war / is not / healthy / for children /...
War is not Healthy Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has an orange and pink flower with a green stem growing up the left side of the poser. To the right of the flower and through its stem and petals is "war / is not / healthy / for children...	Stop War 1970 Poster has black printed edges. At the top is a green/yellowcircle surrounded by an orange, cracked background, like an eye. Over the circle is a stylized image of a man resembling Uncle Sam in a...
What if they gave a war 1969 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a stylized color image of a green meadow filled with yellow, orange and white flowers beneath a blue sky with a yellow sun at the top left. In the meadow...	Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a color photo of five shirtless youths with their faces painted - brown, green, blue, red and pink. At the top left is "Peace, please..." in black.