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 Black Family 1982 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "''The Black Family'' / P.H. Polk - / photographer". At the center is a black and white photograph of a man and woman picking cotton in a...	untitled (man speaking into a microphone) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a central black and white photo of an African American man speaking into a microphone.
Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame 1975 Poster has black ink printed on a gold color background. At the top is "Black Filmmakers / Hall Of Fame / 1975". At the center is a 3-D illustration of a star. At the bottom is "presented by the...	Sistervisions 1981 Poster has black ink printed on brown paper. At the top center is "Black / Women Artists / Film Series / Presents:". At the left center is an illustration of the face of a woman, with the left eye...
Black Quake 1973 Poster has a black background with white text. At the top is " Black / Quake". At the bottom is a white box with black text reading "Music/Dance / Poetry/Film / Art/Drama / Street Arts" with...	African American Arts Festival 2002 Poster has a red printed background with a central color art illustration showing the profiles of African Amerian figures in bright clothing. Across the top of the poster is a yellow bar with...
A Streetcar Named Desire Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has unprinted white edges enclosing a black background with white text and a black and white photograph at the bottom right of a woman with her face upward and eyes closed. Down the top...	untitled (dance party on the beach) 1992 Poster has a color illustration showing figures dancing, some sensually, on the beach as a band on a stage performs in the background.
Ceremonies in Dark Old Men Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a quote, in black, from the New York Post followed by "Ceremonies / in / Dark Old / Men" in orange. At the center of the poster is a black and white illustration of a (barbershop...	No Prop 21 Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black background. At the top is "Hip-Hop Will Prevail!" in red. Below the text is a stylized image of a hand raching up with a microphone. Above the graphic is "''No Prop 21 / It''s...
Kawanza 1991 Poster has a black background. At the center is a pastel illustration showing four black shaded figures in traditional African garb dancing. Centered below the image is "Kawanza" in yellow,...	Faith Ringgold 1997 Poster has a color image fo a quit showing Frederick Douglass, Hariet Tubman and Sojourner Truth standing among the plants of a forest. Vertically up the right edge is "Faith Ringgold in blue. At...
Umoja 1992 Poster has a black background with a central white box. The box has yellow borders at the right and bottom, red/orange at the left and orange at the top. In the top and bottom borders is "Umoja"...	Kwanzaa 1992 Poster has a black background with a white box at the center. The box has yellow borders at the top and right, orange at the bottom and green at the left. In the top and bottom borders is "Kwanzaa...
untitled (abstract figure playing the saxophone) Inkworks Press, printer 1987 Poster has unprinted white edges enclosing an abstract color illustration of a figure playing the saxophone.	Graffiti Blues Autumn Press, printer 1991 Poster has a black background at the top and a yellow background at the bottom, separated by red and green bars. The bottom edge is blue. In the black is "Graffiti / Blue / A / ''Rap Opera'' / (...
Untitled 1994 Poster has a color background illustration showing a group of small figures sitting with their backs to the viewer, facing a featureless figure in yellow standing a reading a book aloud. The book...	Juneteenth '86 1986 Poster has a black background with red text and green accents. At the top is "Juneteenth ''96 / A Celebration Of / Freedom / Saturday, June 21, 1986" followed by the time, location, list of stars...
Black Comedy Competition Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black background at the top that transitions into gray and then purple at the bottom. At the top is [Budweiser logo] & [California Lottery logo] / Presents The" in white "7th...	Untitled 1979 Poster has a color image and black text printed on white paper. The image is at the top and shows a mural of fights, fires, rallies, building, masked figures, etc. Below the image, at the center...
Juneteenth 1989 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background with red at the top and green at the bottom. In the red is "The Western Addition Cultural Center presents / Juneteenth" in black. At...	Jackson Five 1971 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a background that''s pink at the top, yellow at the center and green at the bottom. Across the top is "Live! / Jackson Five" followed by an image of five...
untitled (children and poem) 1977 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is an illustration of two children with their heads turned away from the viewer. Below the image and down the rest of the poster is a poem...	Super Man of the Universe Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has purple ink printed on black paper. At the top is "Super Man of the Universe" underlined. Beneath the title, centered on the poster is "A Black Man During / Slavery Days Had A / Built-In...