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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It was here before Christ. Will it be here after Charles Hurwitz? David Muench, photographer, Rainforest Action Network, publisher c.1997 Poster consists of white and red print against a full color image on a black background. Image depicts a giant redwood forest with a blue light background and the text "It Was Here Before Christ...	Farewell to Spring: 1998 California Wildflower Show East Bay Municipal Utility District, printer, Margo Bors, artist, Oakland Museum of California, publisher, Robert Laird Brown, designer c.1998 Poster consists of green, pink and black print on white paper. Image depicts two green leafy stems that expand into many pink flowers. Text above image is "farewell - to" and text under image is "...
Untitled David Muench, artist, Rainforest Action Network, publisher c.1997 Poster consists of white and red print with a color image on a black background. Image depicts a giant redwood tree with other redwoods in the background against a yellow sky with "Should...	Wildflower: 1997 California Wildflower Show Barbara Banthien, artist, Oakland Museum of California, publisher, Robert Laird Brown, designer c.1997 Poster consists of blue and green print on white paper with a full color image against a blue background. The image depicts a close up of white flowers with green leaves (Matilija poppies). Text...
California Wildflower Show Joe Samberg, photographer, The Oakland Museum, publisher c.1990 Poster consists of green, purple, yellow and white print on off-white paper. Text at the top is green and curbed to simulate the flowers in the image below it. Text reads "California Wildflower...	California Wildflower Show Ken Shockey, artist, Oakland Museum of California, publisher c.1989 Poster consists of orange, blue, and green print on white paper. Inside a two-tone blue and orange border is an image of a field of orange California poppies with blue flowers interspersed among...
California Wildflower Show Ken Shockey, artist, The Oakland Museum, publisher Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster consists of purple and green print on a light blue background inside a thin purple border on white paper. Image depicts purple flowers with green stalks and leaves, green plants, and a...	California Wildflower Show 1987 Barbara Adair, artist, Oakland Museum of California, publisher c. 1987 Poster consists of a full color image on a dark background with green text on white paper. Image in the upper left side of the poster depicts a purple/red/orange flower on a green stalk with green...
California Wildflower Show Ken Shockey, artist, Oakland Museum of California, publisher c. 1984 Poster consists of black text and green and white print on off-white paper. Text along the top reads "California Wildflower Show." Text in upper left corner under the title reads "1984, Oakland...	California Wildflower Show Ken Shockey, artist, Oakland Museum of California, publisher c. 1985 Poster consists of blue text and blue, green and black print on white paper. Text at the top reads "California / Wildflower Show" and text at the bottom reads "The Oakland Museum, Natural Sciences...
Mushroom Celebration c. 1992 Poster consists of a full color image with white text on a black background. Image depicts a green backpack and a wicker basket full of mushrooms on the floor of the forest surrounded by mushrooms...	California Wildflower Show Ken Shockey, artist, Oakland Museum of California, publisher c. 1982 Poster consists of orange and green print on off-white paper. Text at the top reads "California / Wildflower Show / Saturday, May 1, 1982 10am-5pm / Sunday, May 2, 1982 noon-6pm / Natural Sciences...
Illustrating Nature: Science Communication Student Works Community Printers & Graphics, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster consists of black print on a gray background. Image depicts a white bird in flight with 6 beetles of various colors against a starry blue sky and a gray border. Text reads "Illustrating...	Should the Animals Survive? George Lithograph Company, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster consists of yellow, gray, blue and black print on white paper. Along the top and bottom is a yellow triangle border with gray lines that connect from the triangle tips to the diamond in the...
Wild Republic Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster consists of brown, green, magenta and black print on an orange background. Image depicts three children holding/wearing stuffed animal monkeys and holding a coconut. At the top of the...	Save the Animals Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster consists of gold text on a green background and full color images. Text along the top reads "Save the Animals." The poster is split into five rectangles each with a different animal image...
Give Fur the Cold Shoulder PETA, publisher, William Hawkes, photographer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster consists of black and yellow print on a blue background. Image depicts actress/model Pamela Anderson Lee naked in a snowstorm standing in profile holding her arms over her chest and looking...	Help me save rare wildlife...and win yourself two free tickets to Superbowl XVII Graphic Arts International Union, printer, Public Media Center, publisher c. 1982 Poster consists of white, red, and yellow print on a black background. Text at the top reads Help me save rare wildlife.../ And win yourself two free tickets / to Superbowl XVII" / -49er Guy...
For a Coming Extinction Bill Prochnow, designer, Charles M. Scammon, illustrator, Elizabeth Tobisch, calligraphy c. 1974 Poster consists of red, gray and black print on brown paper. Image depicts diagrams of lances and whale hunting tools with images of gray whales and a whale hunting scene, all overlaid in layers....	Evil Is In The Eye Of The Beholder Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster shows half of an ape''s face looking between the metal bars of a cage. Down the visible gray bar at the right is white text printed vertically - "Evil Is In The Eye Of The Beholder"....
Today's San Francisco SPCA Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a white background with blue text and a cetral color image of a green, planted area with two children sitting surrounded by animals (dog, cat, racoon, squirrel, butterfly, horse) with...	The Endangered Species Of California Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a gray background with black and gray illustration and a beige map. At the top is "The Endangered Species Of California" in green. To the bottom right of the text is a white seal of...
Sharing Our Planet Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a beige/white wood grain background. At the top is "Sharing Our Planet" in blue followed by a large color image of an elephant''s head in a diamond shape with white text in the green...	The Lindsay Museum Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black background with light blue text and a central color photo of an owl perched on a rock surrounded by melting snow in the sun. At the top left is "The Lindsay Museum / Learning To...