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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California 1969 Poster has a black and white background photo showing a naked woman walking into the ocean. At the bottom right is "California" in black.	Zodiac 1968 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a pink background. At the top and bottom is white text reading "Zodiac / MCM LXVIII" and "Destiny Control". At the center is a multi-layered flower. At...
Love-In Richard Gordon, photographer 1969 Poster has printed black edges enclosing a black and white image of a caucasian baby riding on the shoulders of an African American man. Centered on the bottom edge is "Love-In" in white.	untitled (mirror image in pond) Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1968 Poster has a stylized color image of a man with long hair and his index finger pointing up sitting near a pool of water where his reflection can be seen. The reflection doesn''t match the man...
Wavy Gravy 1986 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing an orange background with a green, blue and purple swirling line border. At the top is "Wavy Gravy". At the center is an image of a man with curly hair...	Different Strokes...For Different Folks 1971 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a wheel divided into twelve sections of varying colors for the twelve months. The astrological symbol for each month is at the tip of the...
Lenny Bruce 1972 Poster has a black background. At the top is a stylized image of a man with a long face with a rainbow coming out of a cloud near his head. At the top left of the poster is "The Complete Unabridge...	More Tea Lautrec Litho 1979 Poster has a black printed background with a central color graphic showing a red heart with white wings with a green orb with red lines through it forming a peace symbol all in front of a red/...
untitled (poem in the sky) Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1972 Poster has a background of a blue sky with white clouds. At the bottom center and bottom right are lines pf purple text - a poem attributed to Walter Rinder. Centered on the bottom edge in black...	Sunkissed Howard Bernstein, artist 1971 Poster has a black printed background. At the center is a multi-colored circle formed by small dots of color. To the top right and bottom left are blue planets and stars. At the center of the...
Spectrum of Love II Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1972 Poster has a purple tinted background showing a faint sun at the right center with a bird flying near the top left. At the top left corner is "spectrum of love II" in purple. In three stepping...	untitled (bird and poem) Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1972 Poster has a color background showing an orange, sun-soaked sky with a bird flying at the top right. At the bottom of the poster are three columns of black text from the poem "i love you"....
To be free is to have been loved Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1972 Poster has an abstract purple and pink background. At the top is a swooping white area filled with purple text reading "To be Free is to have been Loved for when we believe that someone loves us...	Sharon Tate 1971 Poster has blue printed edges enclosing a color photo of a woman with red hair wearing a red old-fashioned dress with flowers and suquins. At the top right si "why?" in black. Centered at the...
Spectrum of love IV 1972 Poster has an orange tinted background showing a faint sun at the left center with a bird flying near the top right. At the top left corner is "spectrum of love IV" in black. In three columns at...	Spectrum of love III Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1972 Poster has a purple tinted background showing a faint sun at the right center with a bird flying near the top left. At the top left corner is "spectrum of love III" in purple. In three stepping...
Those were the days? Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black and white illustration of the streets of a city filled with people. A majority of the figures have speech bubbles revealing thoughts of drugs,...	untitled (celestial figures) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges with a yellow border enclosing a color illustration. At the center is a winged figure with a star on his chest and a rainbow halo standing with his arms out to his...
San Francisco Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1969 Poster has a purple background with a flower border. Mixed in with the flowers are pins with phrases relevant to the time. At the center is a collage of illustrated black houses and stores....	Haight Ashbury Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1968 Poster has a purple background with a flower border. Mixed in with the flowers are pins with phrases relevant to the time. At the center is a collage of illustrated black houses and stores....
untitled (pigs) 1969 Poster has a black and white photo of two pigs mating.	Keep on truckin' Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black printed edges enclosing a stylized color illustration of a pink man and woman with large, oblong noses having sex on a green rug on the purple floor. Across the bottom is "keep on...
Haight-Ashbury David Wills, artist, Tea Lautrec Litho, printer 1982 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a stylized color image of the Haight Ashbury neighborhood surrounded by water with a rainbow at the top left and bolts of lightning in the sky...	untitled (naked female figure and calendar) 1973 Top of poster has a color image of a naked woman sitting on a stone wall and posing seductively with a floral fabric in the background. On the bottom of the poster is a calendar for 1973 with "...