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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Take It to Wall Street: Stop Nuclear Investments Anne Katz, designer 1979 Poster has a black background overall. Center of poster has a photographic image / montage of a mushroom cloud where the top portion of the cloud contains a negative image of newspapers and...	untitled (people pulling down nuclear power plant stacks) The Print Shop 1981 Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a stylized illustration of people using ropes to pull down the stacks of a nuclear power plant, with a smiling sun looking down.
Radiation 1979 Poster printed on white paper and has a black printed copy of the front page of the Boston Herald American from March 31, 1979, with other content overlaid, all concerning nuclear power, including...	We Don't Need Nuclear Power Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has blue ink printed on white paper with a stylized image of wind blowing over a tree-lined beach, with people standing below waves at the bottom of the poster. Arched at the top of the...
Whole Life Systems Household Gordon Ashby Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has brown ink printed on tan paper. At the center is a circle with a stylized image of a sustainable household. From the cardinal directions come sources of energy - the sun, eind, soil,...	Bike to Work Day 1998 Poster printed on white paper with black and purple text and a central black, white, purple and yellow stylized image fo a featureless figure riding a bicycle, holding a cup of coffee. At the top...
El Dia de la Bicicleta 2001 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "El / Dia / De La / Bicicleta" in purple with a stylized blue, purple, yellow and white image of a figure riding a bicycle. Below the image is "El 17...	Bike to Work Day Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "Rides and your local Bicycle Coalition present / Bike / To Work / Day" in blue. At the center is a stylized blue, white and orange image of two...
The Real Price Of Oil Inkworks Press, printer 2000 Poster has a purple and white background with orange and purple text. There are four quadrants with pictures, quotes, and descriptions, starting from the upper left and moving clockwise: Global...	For the Future of the Pacific and Our World Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "For The Future Of / The Pacific And Our World" with a photo of people protesting nuclear dumping on a beach. At the bottom of the poster...
untitled (nuclear power plant) 1980 Poster printed on white paper. At the center is a stylized black and gray image of a power plant, circled and crossed out in red, with the "X" formed by crossed axes.	Nuclear Waste Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a blue background with white text and a white image at the top of a child with the words "nuclear / waste" on his back. At the bottom is "Is A Heavy...
The Hopi Prophecy Late 20th Early 21st Century Black and white poster contains a portrait drawing of an older man wearing glasses. The man has shoulder-length hair and raises his head slightly with his eyes closed. "The Hopi Prophecy /...	untitled (Michigan nuclear power plant) 1976 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a black background with white text and a black and white photo of a power plant. At the top is "Michigan taxpayers paid $124 million for / this white...
Youth Walks for Survival Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a red and white circle. At the bottom of the poster is "No Deposit - No Return / Youth Walks For Survival / San Francisco - October 3 - 415-642...	Buses. Streets. And Trains. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has yellow printed edges with a central, stylized, multicolor image of San Francisco, with buses and street cars visible on the streets. At the top of the poster is "buses. streets. and...
San Francisco Marathon Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized, multicolor image of people running through a Kezar Stadium arch, past San Francisco landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the...	MUD 2001 Poster has a white background with black text. Main image is of a gangster-like individual with a PG&E name badge on his back and holding a gun that shoots money at the title, "MUD." Poster...
Partners for an Energy Efficient Tomorrow 1984 Poster has a printed background that transitions from yellow at the top to orange at the center and red at the bottom. Near the center is "partners for an / energy efficient / tomorrow" in blue....	Vote No On Proposition K Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster has a gray printed background with a stylized image of a board game at the center. Extending from various points on the game board are lines leading to gray boxes, all providing...
Another Family Against Nuclear Power Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on yellow paper with blue and yellow borders and a red background with a central yellow sun. Blue text on the poster reads "Another Family / Against / Nuclear Power".	untitled (nuclear power plant) The Print Shop 1975 Poster has brown ink printed on off-white paper. The poster has a stylized image of a nuclear power plant, seen through a forest of tall trees. At the bottom right is "When You Finally Notice...
untitled (toxic waste) 1980 Poster has black ink printed on off-white paper and has a stylized image of a city, with a nuclear by-product dump in the neighborhood, a plutonium truck dropping contaminated items on the streets...	Stop Nuclear Power Red Pepper Posters, copyright 1979 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing an orange background, black at the top. At the left is a black and white photo of a child with no shirt on. At the top right is "don''t / pee / in / my...