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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Vivan los Heroes del FDR!! [Long live the heroes of the Frente Democratico Revolucionario ] El Salvador Vencera!! La Raza Graphics, printer 1980 Poster has a black and white image of four men''s heads in the center with a large hand holding a gun above them. The top right corner has "Vivan los Heroes del FDR!! El Salvador Vencera!!"...	Stop the Repression! Graphic Communications International Union, printer, Julia Iltis, artist 1982 Poster printed with an overall black background and white design on white paper. An image of a rounded stone archway fills the page. Parallel images within the rise of the arch show...
Building Bonds of Friendship Howard Gelman, photographer, Inkworks Press, printer, Lincoln Cushing, graphic design 1988 Multi-color poster printed on white paper contains a photograph of a quilt with 33 quilt blocks on a purple background with a blue border. "Building Bonds of Friendship" is printed at top in...	untitled (figures intertwined with column) Inkworks Press, printer, Leonardo Sanchez Gemboa, artist 1998 Poster has a gray background with a black and white image with a deep red border at the center. At the center of the image are three boys standing next to each other with their arms around each...
Memorial Procession for Orlando Letelier and Ronni Karpen Moffitt 1976 Poster has two black and white photographs. On the left is a man, with a quote underneath identifying him as Orlando Letelier. On the right is a woman with a quote underneath identifying her has...	Grupo Moncada Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed with red, blue, and black ink on white paper. A graphic of men wearing blue shirts surrounded by red musical instruments is centered on the lower right portion of the page. Text...
Day Of Angolan Women Liberation Support Movement 1972 Poster is printed on white paper and shows the continent of Africa outlined in purple with the nation of Angola shaded in purple. Over the continent is a collage of copied charcoal images of...	Hands Off Labor Africa Fund Labor Desk, publisher, Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed with yellow, red, and black ink on white paper. Red borders appear at top and bottom edge, framing a yellow background. An image of a red banner at the top of the page contains...
Tenants Day '81 Doug Minkler 1981 Poster has black and blue text and beige images printed on heavy blue paper. Central image of an abstract figure. At the left of the figure is vertical text reading "Freeze Rents" and at the right...	To the People of the U.S.S.R. From the People of San Francisco Graphic Communications International Union 1984 Poster shows a photo of the peace quilt given to the USSR by the people of San Francisco in 1984. Main title positioned above the photo of the quilt in blue text. Below the photo is the blue text...
Housing Crisis Claude Moller, Inkworks Press, printer 2006 Poster has a background image of a machine measuring the waves of something. The chart made has a blue wavy line that''t higher at the left and lower at the right - benchmarks at left range from $...	Raising the Roof 1993 Poster shows an angel sitting in a half moon holding a candle at the top left. At the top right is white text reading "Saturday Decemeber 11th / Amazon Productions Presents / Raising The Roof:...
From Reagan To Bush Inkworks Press, printer 2003 Poster has an image of a chart with a line measuring the the amount of money spent each year. On the chart is an image of a conglomerate of structuress at the left with the red line of the chart...	Berkeley Free Clinic Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with "Berkeley Free Clinic" printed at the top in black with red outlines. Centered on the poster is an image of a gray and green dragon on a red background. At the...
quit smoking Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a color image of four Asian American figures, one adult female, an adult male, a male child, and an elderly male all with surprised/excited expressions on their faces while the central...	Free Speech Movement @ 40 Alliance Graphics, graphic design, Paul Fusco, photographer 2004 Poster printed on white paper with a purple tinted photo at the top showing a crowd gathering, even sitting on the roof, watching a man at a microphone speak. Across the top of the photo is "...
Stop The WTO Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black images and text printed on yellow paper. Transparent image on background of a cartoon tank. Above the background image at the top of the poster is the text "Stop The WTO!"...	Globalize Justice - Not War! Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and blue image across the top of various people rallying against gas/oil companies. A thin white arch moves across the photo with three dots - at the bottom left, top center,...
No Vietnam War In El Salvador Autumn Press, printer, Mission Grafica, design, Rene Castro, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is printed on white/cream paper. Poster is screen printed on white/cream paper. The poster has a gray background with a thin red boarder. Centered at the top of the poster is a blue square...	No U.S. Ties To South Africa Manoprints, publisher Late 20th Early 21st Century This poster has a red background inside a _ inch white margin. All text and images are white. Large text at the top reads "No U.S. Ties To South Africa". There is a white imprint of an arm and...
Berkeley City Money Out Of South Africa Malaquias Montoya 1979 This is a white poster with an abstract image of a human face with dollar signs, chain, shackles, and a lock in shades of gray in the left half of the page. Black text to the right of the images...	U.S. hands off El Salvador Inkworks Press, printer, Rene Castro, artist 1981 Poster has a black background with a thin white border. In the center is a red bordered circle with a blue background that has a white dove sitting on a red gun. Below reads, "U.S. hands off El...
Untitled Graphic Arts International Union, Sequoyah Graphics, printer 1982 Poster has a gray background with black text. In the center is an image of several people with somber expressions and holding candles. There are flowers in the lower left corner of the image and a...	Memories Of Underdevelopment Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is printed on white paper with text and images in blue and pink. The top of the poster has text in blue and pink: " ''one of the year''s 10 best'' / The New York Times / Memories Of /...