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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Labor Assembly For Peace Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has blue ink printed on beige paper. At the left is "Labor /Assembly / For Peace". At the right is an illustration of human figures holding shovels walking away from a factory. At the...	Stop the War Now Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white photo of three soldier marching through thigh-high grasses carrying the body of a fallen comrade. Across the top is "Bring Them Home Alive!" in black. At the bottom is...
Reject War and Racism 1968 Poster has black ink printed on beige paper. At the top is "reject war and racism". At the center is a stylized illustration of a matchbook with "Strike 3" at the bottom and three remaining...	Vietnam Veterans Memorial 1984 Poster has black printed edges enclosing a color photo of the sun shining on the Veterans War Memorial wall with the Washington Monument in the background, to the right. At the bottom left of the...
Resistance & Renewal 1969 Poster has brown, green and white ink printed on brown paper. At the top is green grass with webs of brown roots below. At the center is "at / the / grass / roots / resistance / & renewal /...	They've got an invisible program Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black text and a stylized color image printed on white paper. At the top is "they''ve got an invisible program / to end an undeclared war / backed by a silent majority." Below the text...
Shuck 68 1968 Poster has blue, black and pink ink printed on white paper. Poster has a central stylized image showing a budding flower at the top with the pink petals forming a banner of sorts with "Shuck 68"...	You Can't Jail The Revolution Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has red ink printed on off-white, recycled paper. Down the right is "You Can''t Jail / The Revolu- / tion Stop the / Trial / Free the / Conspir / acy / 8". At the left is a stylized image...
Caution - Army Wardogs In This Area Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black spray paint on a yellow painted background. Text, starting at the top, reads "-Caution- / Army Wardogs / In This Area / Do Not Leave Raw Meat Exposed / Keep Children And Pets...	Vietnam Veteran Blasts the War 1966 Top of poster has "Hear Duncan Speak" in black followed by a color photo of a man in a brown military uniform with a "Duncan" name badge. Above the figure''s head is "''The whole thing was a lie...
untitled (peace symbol and quote) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a blue and green background with a pink, yellow and orange peace symbol. At the bottom of the poster is "there are but two powers in the world...	War is not Healthy Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on a yellow printed background. Down the left is a flower. Down the right and among the stem and petals of the flower is "war / is / not / helathy / for children / and...
untitled (bird) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted borders enclosing a background of a pastel rainbow. Over the rainbow is a black and white illustration of a bird with his wings ourspread.	Let Us Be Clear Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white background image showing an ocean beach with waves rolling in. At the top is "Let Us Be Clear" followed by five paragraphs of black text about the impending...
It's easy if you try Tea Lautrec Lithography 1971 Poster has a black and white photo showing nine children standing in front of a peace symbol drawn on the pavement. Some of the children pose with their hands in peace signs. At the bottom left is...	untitled (peace symbol) Pro Arts 1970 Poster has a blue printed background with five rows/eight columns of white stars. At the left is an orange and white striped peace symbol.
Tension Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster resembles an American flag, but the blue background and the red stripes are formed by the word "Tension" repeated. The font is meant to trick the eye, looking strained, like the words are...	Join Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a flag resembling the American flag but with pink instead of red stripes and a white peace symbol instead of stars. The pink strips are...
Give Peace A Chance 1969 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a color photo of a man and woman sitting in front of a bed where another man and woman sit with micorphones to the left and right. The man on the bed...	untitled (figures on horses) 1969 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a blue background with a black stylized image of figures on horses, one holding up a peace symbol, beneath an orange sun at the top left. Centered on the...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized blue and yellow image of two soldier shouting. Up the left and across the top is "Old Soldiers / Never Die / Young / Ones / Do" in blue and orange.	Choice Not Chance Tomi Ungerer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with a white image of a pilor painting three yellow babies on the nose of an airplane. At the top left is "Choice / Not / Chance" in yellow.
untitled (cemetery) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a color background photo of a cemetery with rows of matching white tombstones and a few trees. In the blue sky at the top of the poster is "we are the unwilling...led by the unqualified...	untitled (hitchhikers) 1968 Poster has a color photo of two men on the side of the rode with their thumbs sticking out to hitchhike. On man stands smoking a cigarette while the other is seated with a guitar and a sign...