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 Sorcerer 1972 Poster has unprinted edges enclosing a black border with a subsequent thin blue line border with flowers at the corners. Poster shows a red mouse in a pink cap and robe with blue stars holding a...	The Sorcerer 1972 Poster has unprinted edges enclosing a black border with a subsequent thin blue line border with flowers at the corners. Poster shows a red mouse in a pink cap and robe with blue stars holding a...
untitled (Disney characters getting high) 1970 Poster has unprinted white edges and a black and white border of overlapping circles. Centered at the bottom in a larger white oval is "Ain''t Gonna / Work On / Dizzy''s Farm / No More!" in black...	There's Nothing Wrong With Me Today 1974 Poster has unprinted white edges and a black velvet background with a green border. Text at the top and bottom is half purple, half pink and reads "There''s Nothing Wrong With Me Today.. / ...A...
India Orbit Graphic Arts, printer 1968 Poster has white unprinted edges with a subsequent black border. Poster is covered with Hindu imagery. At the top left are four vertically stacked panel showing "Vishnu''s Four Incarnations". At...	EnvironMentally Friendly 1994 Poster has green ink printed on brown textured paper. Across the top is "save our brainforests" follwoed by a large image of a cannabis leaf . Across the bottom is "environeMentally / Friendly"....
untitled (eye) 1998 Poster has a background composed of boxes with images that gradually transition into each other. At the top left is a white bird with its wings spread out. The bird changes into two dolphins with...	Pot Relieves Tension 1968 Poster has a black and white image of a monkey sitting on a toilet. Centered below the image is "Pot Relieves Tension" in black. Printed on white paper.
Cannabis Trading 1972 Poster has unprinted white edges with a black border enclosing a stylized color image showing an old West-style structure with saloon doors and a horse parked out front. The building is designated...	Big Brother Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a central stylized black image of a man smoking. Across the top is "Big Brother" and at the bottom is "Of Us All" in black. Printed on white paper.
I Like The Pope Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a central black and white image of a pope. The image has been altered so it appears he''s holding a joint in his right hand. Smoke, also an addition, is coming out of his pursed lips....	How Does Your Garden Grow 1971 Poster has a yellow printed background. Across the top is "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary" in blue followed by a stylized color image of a female figure picking cannabis and holding a pipe in her had...
Zig-Zag Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a thin gold color border, arched at the corners, printed on white paper. At the center is a blue stylized image of a man holding a cigarette in one hand and a pack of rolling paper in...	weed 1998 Poster has unprinted white borders enclosing a black background. At the top left is the word "weed" in green followed by "slang. hemp; the dried flower tops and leaves of this plant, capable of...
Freewheelin' Franklin Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a yellow background at the top and black at the bottom with the silhouette of a city where the two intersect. Centered on the poster is a stylized image of an orange man in a white tank...	Some Drugs Won't Take No For An Answer 1999 Poster has blue backgrounds - light blue at the top left and dark blue across the bottom and down the right side. At the top left is a black box with "Early Anti-Drug Slogans" followed by a list...
Spectrum 1974 Poster has unprinted white edges enclosing a black velvet border and a neon scene showing random images like a skull, animals, flames, earth scenes, the sun and moon, etc. The skull is the central...	Magic Mushroom 2003 Poster has a stylized color image of a woman in a blue dress running through a patch of red mushrooms growing in the green grass white a figure at the left plays a wind instrument while in the air...
The Dreaming 1998 Poster formated like a newspaper article. At the top left is a color image of a root being chopped and ground. At the top right is an image of a man. At the left center is an image of a man...	Infinity The Print Mint, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has unprinted white edges enclosing a stylized color image of a scene divided diagonally from top center down to the bottom left. At the top left is a cloud scene with partial orbs and two...
Better loving through chemistry 1969 Poster has a black and white image of a naked man and woman hugging. Across the bottom of the poster is "better loving through chemistry" in black. At the bottom left is a black and white rotary...	Let it be Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a white background with "let / it be" in large text. Surrounding the text are colorful images of forest plants and animals. At the center and bottom are mushrooms resting on green...
untitled (tree) 1978 Poster has gold color edges enclosing a stylized image of a tree at dusk/dawn. The trunk and tree are glowing orange with a central white light.	Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a background that''s blue at the top, light blue with a line of stars at the top at the center and red at the bottom. Right above the red background us a...