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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A Fable Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster features an illustration of people, animals, and a city surrounding a pond in the top half of the page. Text in the top center reads "A Fable" and continues to tell a story of "a town...	San Antonio Neighborhood Health Center Adolfo Castillo, artist 1981 This poster is a calendar with a large, bordered illustration of a tree and a row of houses in the top _ of the page. Text within that illustration reads "San Antonio / Neighborhood / Health /...
Learn More c. 1998 This green poster begins with very large, white text reading "Learn More / College Internships & Work Experience / Earn More! / The numbers don''t lie!" There is an image of green and yellowm...	Free University 1975 This horizontally-oriented poster is made up of a black and white photograph of a Volkswagon Beetle parked in front of a restaurant called the "Paddock Club". There are also bicycles and a mailbox...
It's Just A Stage Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black text, a red graphic and a black and white photo printed on white paper. Centered at the top is "It''s Just A Stage / un compania teatral de mujeres / women''s theatre troupe"....	Untitled Mission Grafica Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has an unprinted white border neclosing a blue background with a yellow/orange sun with a white crescent moon and blue star at its center at the top with black shadow figures dancing below...
Nada una Milla 2006 Top of poster has a background of blue water with "onceavo evento anual de natacion por una milla/swim a mile" in blue, "nada una milla" in orange (with a sun graphic) and "por las mujeres con...	Lilith: A Women's Theater Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and pink ink printed on white paper. At the top left corner is "Lilith / A Women''s Theater" in black. Diagonally across the top is "Double Feature:" in pink, "an evening of one...
Resist Rape 1997 Poster has red and black text printeed on white paper. At the top left is "San Francisco Women Against Rape Presents" followed by a red "R" at the top left with "esist" in black tot he right and "...	Family Violence Prevention Fund (Russian) Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has an unprinted white border enclosing a black background with white text and a black and white photograph. Russian text down the left side and centered across the bottom. At the top right...
Family Violence Prevention Fund (Russian) Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black text and a black and white photo printed on white paper. At the top of the poster are two lines of Russian text. Centered on the poster is a photo showing a woman with bruises on...	Untitled Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black text and a black and white photo printed on white paper. Image at the top of the poster shows the face of a woman with a bruise on her right eye. White text at the bottom of the...
It's hard to confront a friend who absues his wife Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black text and a black and white photo printed on white paper. Photo at the top of the poster shows the face of a woman with bruises on her eye and lip. In black at the bottom of the...	He Said He'd Never Hit You Again Diana Duff, photographer, Inkworks Press, printer 1990 Poster has black text and a black and white photo printed on white paper. Across the top of the poster is "He Said He''d Never Hit You Again..." Central photo shows an African American woman''s...
He Said He'd Never Hit You Again Diana Duff, photographer, Inkworks Press, printer 1990 Poster has black text and a black and white photo printed on white paper. Across the top of the poster is "He Said He''d Never Hit You Again..." Central photo shows a woman''s reflection in a...	Ladyfest Midwest Chicago 2001 Poster has gray, red and black ink printed on white paper. Across the top is "Ladyfest Midwest Chicago" in red, gray and red, respectively. Down the right side is "Over 90 Bands" in gray, "50...
El Dijo Que Nunca Volveria A Golpearte Diana Duff, photographer, Inkworks Press, printer 1990 Poster has black text and a black and white photo printed on white paper. Across the top of the poster is "El Dijo Que Nunca Volveria A Golpearte..." Central photo shows a woman''s reflection in a...	Book Fair celebrating Women Who Make Books 1992 Poster has red, black and gray ink printed on white paper. At the top of the poster is "Book Fair" in red, "celebrating" in black script and "Women / Who Make Books" in gray. Centered on the...
Friend of the Foetus 1972 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top left is "Friends Of The Foetus:" followed by "Ever Wish / You Was / Foetus / Again? / I Mean / Like / When / Our / Lives / Was Sacred." down...	Paper Weight Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has green and black graphics and text printed on white paper. Top of the poster shows an open green spiral pad of lined paper with a pen hovering over the top. Three sections of black...
We support the Women's Building Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has an unprinted white background with thick purple lines across the top and bottom. Poster text is purple and reads "We Ssupport The / Women''s / Building".	Friends of the Foetus peg, artist 1972 Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top left is "Friends Of The Foetus:" followed by "If You''re / A Little Girl / Don''t / Come Out - / You''ve Got / More Rights / Where / You Are...
Have you had your pill today 1968 Poster has blue ink printed on lighter colored blue paper with a double line border .5" from the edge. Image at the top of the poster shows Uncle Sam in his memorable pointing pose. At the bottom...	Mad Cat Women's Film & Video Festival 1997 Poster has a blue background with a yellow image of a screen pulled down filled with black text. At the top of the text box is "The 1st Annual / MadCat / Women''s Film & Viedo / Festival / A...