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.

View results as Grid View results as List Browse Full Collection Advanced Search

untitled (large face) 1987 Poster has a black printed background with a large dotted image at the left of a man''s face. At the bottom left is an image of a man standing holding a gun. Down the right side is a poem in white...	untitled (poster hanging on a building) Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a black and white photo showing a poster with Chinese text hanging from a columned building, with figures on the street below looking up at it. At the bottom of the poster is "...
Serve The People circa 1974 Poster has green/blue and green ink printed on white paper. At the top left is "Serve The People" in white followed by a large image of a child handing something to figures sitting on...	Untitled (people running away) Late 20th Early 21st Century This horizontally-oriented poster depicts a group of men and women huddling together and running down a street. One of them is looking behind the group. There are other people standing in the...
No on J Late 20th Early 21st Century This white poster includes a silhouette of a dove in the background of large, blue text reading "No on / J". There are red lines on either side of the "J". Red text at the bottom of the poster...	Peasant Paintings 1978 Poster has black text and a stylized color images at the left showing a group of Chinese figures dragging a large net full of pink fish through the water. At the right is "Peasant Paintings / from...
Seasons Greetings from the No Mans Land Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster, printed on thick paper, features a green wreath made up of newspaper clippings with headlines relating to Israel. There is a red bow in the top left. Text inside a red-outlined scroll...	Dance For Peace And Justice 1991 This poster promotes a "Dance For Peace And Justice". The same is written in Spanish at the top of the poster as well. "The Palestinian Solidarity Committee And The Association Of Salvadorean...
Long Live the Struggle Of / The Iranian People! c. 1953 This horizontally-oriented poster depicts a crowd of people, some of whom are raising fists and clapping hands. There is Arabic text in the upper right of the photograph and in the bottom right...	Slaughter Of The Innocents Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster, printed on thick paper, includes the word "Martyr" repeated in dark blue against a light blue background in the top _ of the page. There is a black box with an X in the center and...
Stop Apartheid! Late 20th Early 21st Century This horizontally-oriented poster has wide, white margins and a rectangle in the center divided in half diagonally by a jagged line. One half is read and the other is black. White text in the...	Official Ayatollah Khomeini Poster Target Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster is an "Official Ayatollah Khomeini Poster Target". There is a circular target with concentric circles and an x in the center overlaid on a brown and white photograph of Khomeini. Text...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century This red poster features four black and white photographs of groups of people and individuals in the top 2/3 of the page. There is a line of Arabic text below, followed by "Days of Blood, Days of...	Mandela Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster features a photograph of Nelson Mandela''s face that fills almost the entire page. A white margin at the bottom contains "Mandela" in green text with a yellow stripe behind. "Freedom...
Free Mandela Late 20th Early 21st Century The background of this poster fades from yellow at the top to green at the bottom. Black text at the top reads "Free Mandela". There is a city skyline and setting/rising sun below. Brown text in...	Victory To The People Of Southern Africa! Late 20th Early 21st Century This black poster calls for "Victory / To The People / Of Southern / Africa! / Oakland City Council: / Withdraw Investments / Right Now!". There is an outline of Southern Africa as well as a red...
Untitled (fist in red star) Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster printed on thick, white paper features a large, red star with a fist in the center. Below the star is an image of a man''s body lying on the ground with blood spilling from his chest....	Untitled 1972 This poster is printed on textured, glossy paper. It is made up of an illustration of purple and yellow clouds with images of men and women wearing helmets in them. Below the clouds is a dark wall...
voices Of Resistance And Defiance Mission Grafica, printer 1986 This poster advertises a concert in "Tribute To Winnie And Nelson Mandela And All South African Freedom Fighters". "Voices Of Resistance And Defiance" is in pink at the top of the poster. There is...	Support The palestinian People Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster calls for people to "Support The Palestinian People In Their / Struggle To Liberate Their Homeland" and "Boycott / Israel" in blue text at the top of the page. The sky behind the text...
Mandela Late 20th Early 21st Century This horizontally-oriented poster printed on yellow cardstock displays "Mandela" in very large blue text with a drop shadow in the center of the page. There is an elaborate border of red and gray...	Mandela For President Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster features Nelson Mandela''s smiling face filling the center of the page. Yellow text above reads "Mandela For / President" and continues below with "The People''s Choice!" There is an "...
U.S. Foreign Policy Puts Everyone at Risk Doug Minkler, artist 2001 This poster is printed on thick paper. Inside wide, white margins is an illustration of a male figure riding inside a bomb with wheels on it. He is holding a small American Flag and breathing fire...	Progress U.S. Government Printing Office, printer 1963 This poster has a light green background and an image of three hands stacked on top of each other in the top center of the page. There are images related to shipping in the background. Green text...