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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Our People - A Heroic People 1984 Poster has black text printed on thick off-white paper. Across the top is "Our People - A Heroic People". Down the center is a poem about Zimbabwe, printed in Old English typeface. Down the left...	Friedensfest Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a blue printed background. At the top is "Friedensfest / Hamburger gegen Atomraketen" in white followed by three columns of white German text. Near the center of the poster is a graphic...
untitled (detroyed structure) 1975 Poster has a black printed background with black and white images and white text. At the top is a photo of a destroyed building with Japanese text at the top left. At the bottom left are two...	Krieg? Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with white text and a black and white photo showing a child with a cracked face. Across the top of the poster is "krieg?" At the bottom is "keine atomrampe /...
Gleichgewicht Des Schreckens Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized illustration showing a man in a white collared shirt with a terrified look on his face as a missile is inches from his face. Across the bottom of the poster is "Gleichgewicht...	FLN De Viet Nam Del Sur Rene Mederos Pazos ~ artist 1969 Poster has black ink printed on red paper and shows a figure with a leafy bundle on his bag wearing a fest with knives in it and wielding a machine gun. In the background is a star. At the...
Ist Hof Schon Grun? Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized illustration showing a gray building at the left talking to a leafy green building at the right, with "toll / tralala" in black between them. Across the bottom is "Ist Ihr...	World Conference Against Racism 2001 Top of poster has a yellow background of images of individuals in little boxes. Over the topos a gray swirled circle. Around the circle is "World Conferece Against Racism" in white. At the bottom...
UNDP: people & the future Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a red printed background with a green strip at the top and a central color photo of a child running around with a pink ''wand''. Below the image is "UNDP: people & the future" in...	UNDP: people & environment Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a blue printed background with a green strip at the top and a central color photo of two figures handling a tree. Below the image is "UNDP: people & environment" in white. Centered...
UNDP: people & agriculture Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a green printed background with a red strip at the top and a central color photo of a woman in a hat behind a pile of root vegetables. Below the image is "UNDP: people & agriculture...	UNDP: people & water Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a blue printed background with a pink strip at the top and a central color photo of a childing pumping water from a well with a donkey nearby to carry the large water containers. Below...
IYSH 1987 Poster has white text on a blue printed background. At the top is a simple illustration of a stick figure in front of a triangle surrounded by a wreath. Below the image is "IYSH-1987" and then "...	Conservemos para aprovechar Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster shows a pink flower with blurred green leaves in the background. At the top is "Mexico / es rico en / Flora Silvestre" in green. At the bottom is "conservemos para aprovechar" in white. To...
untitled (hyena in top hat and necklace) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white illustration of a hyena surrounded by dead bodies. The hyena is growling and wearing a top hat and necklace. Across the bottom is "krieg und leichen - die letzte...	Untitled 1988 Poster is predominately blue and shows a ship sailing below clouds shaped like a dove and a rainbow. At the bottom is silver text, broken up into two columns at the top and a longer, single column...
Hoia Ennast Ja Oma Planeeti 1984 Poster shows a dry area of land with trees and a blue sky in the background. At the center is a semi-transparent figure, blending in with the background. Across the top is "Hoia Ennast Ja Oma...	Flags of Many Lands 1993 Poster shows dozens of national flags. Across the top is "Flags of Many Lands" in black. On the bottom edge is "this chart displays the national flags of the members of the General Assembly of the...
Cuarta Bienal De La Habana 1991 Poster has a gray printed background with blue scribble graphics at the corners. At the center is "Cuarta / Bienal / De La / Habana / 1991 / Centro Wilfredo Lam" in black.	Parque Nacional El Chico Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster shows a forest with tall trees, blue sky and rocky mountains in the background. At the bottom of the poster is "Parque Nacional / El Chico / Sistema Nacional De Areas Naturales Protegidas"...
Women 1994 Poster has printed edges in red, gree, purple and yellow. Graphic at the top shows a woman holding a blue globe with city and rural scenes behind her. Across the top is "Fourth World Conference On...	American Pictures Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with a central image of a man and woman embracing through the bars of the cell. At the bottom of the poster is "American Pictures / Foundation for...
20 Years of Glorious Struggle 1980 Poster has a central "20" filled with illustrations of the struggle for freedom. Across the top is "20 Years Of Glorious Struggle" in blue, red and green. Across the bottom of the poster is "1960-...	Neimals Weider Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white image of a sword vertically up the center of the poster, piercing through a bird. Across the bottom is "Neimals Weider!" in white.