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.

View results as Grid View results as List Browse Full Collection Advanced Search

The Middle Passage 1995 Poster has a central black and white image of a ship of African American figures rowing through the fog with another ship in the background. Above the image is "The Middle Passage: White Ships -...	In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall 1998 This poster includes an abstract image of a child embracing an adult in shades of brown in the upper portion of the page. There is a red stripe along the left edge of the image. The bottom portion...
Washington 1983 Poster has a black and white image of a man at the top left - his head is imposed over a yellow sun with rays extending out to the right, all on a blue background. Below the image is Spanish text...	Sheridan Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black and white image of an African American man at the top right. At the top left is "For San Francisco" in black followed by a gold colored Golden Gate Bridge. At the bottom left is...
Be A Nurse Johnson & Johnson Company 2002 Poster has a background image of an African American nurse. Above the female figure is "Be A Nurse" in blue. To the right of the woman''s head is the Johnson & Johnson logo and at the left is...	Adinkra Symbolism 1971 Poster has black text and images printed on white paper, laminated on front with a waxy texture on verso. Text box across the top has the heading "Adinkra Symbolism" followed by two columns of...
African Art and Social Organization Exhibition Inkworks Press, printer, Pro Arts 1982 Poster has a brown background with a white border all around. In the botder at the bottom are the names of the sponsors and a number to call for information. At the center of the poster is a white...	Immortal Afrikan Spirit 1984 Poster has black text and an image printed on yellow paper. Text at top reads "Immortal Afrikan Spirit" followed by four sections of a poem running down the left side of the poster. At the left...
Adinkra Symbolism 1971 Poster has black text and images printed on white paper. Text box across the top has the heading "Adinkra Symbolism" followed by two columns of black text. Rest of the poster divided into 61...	Blacks Get Cancer Too Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black text and images printed on yellow poster board. In a black box at the top is yellow text reading "give to the American Cancer Society". At the top left is "Blacks Get Cancer Too...
Kwanzaa 1992 Poster has a polychromatic image of a man lighting the candles on a kinara (candle holder) for Kwanzaa surrounded by male and female figures. Beneath the image is black text reading "Calvin B....	Stop The Killing Sentury Printing Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and yellow images and text printed on a yellow background on white paper. In A black text box with rounded edges at the top is yellow text reading "Stop The Killing" followed by...
The Time And What Must Be Done Sentury Printing Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and yellow images and text printed on a yellowbackground on white paper. In A black text box at the top is yellow text reading "The Time And What Must Be Done" followed by an...	Stop The Killing Sentury Printing Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and white images and text printed on a white background on paperboard. In A black text box with rounded edges at the top is white text reading "Stop The Killing" followed by an...
Roscoe Proctor Howard Harawitz 1969 Poster has a central image of a man''s face. Abov ethe man is "Roscoe Proctor" and below is "Gone East / 1969", all in black.	Help Us Rebuild Our Nation 1980 Poster has black and white images and black text printed on white paper. Horn graphic at top left. To the right is text reading "the final call / Minister Farrakhan" followed by the edate and...
Black Nation Day 1983 Poster has a central black and yellow outine of a new US state - New Afrika - filled with the images of African Americans. To the bottom right is an image of a man with his back turned to make the...	Africa for Africans Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black text and an image printed on brown paper. Text at top reads "Black People, Africa Is Our Homeland." Centered on the poster is a shaded shape of Africa. At the bottom of the poster...
Join The Black Liberation Movement Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a background of a Pan-African flag rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise so the color order is red, black, green. At the center of the black panel is a green shape of Africa. Over Africa...	Genocide Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black text and an image printed on brown paper. Text at top reads "genocide is the planned intentional systematic destruction in whole or in part of a national, racial, or religious...
African People's Solidarity Day 1992 Poster has black and white images with red borders vertically up and down the right and left sides of the poster. Pictures show Akua Njeri, Omali Yeshitela, Sid Welsh and Rashida Mustafa at the...	Nation Time Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a red sun setting/rising on a scene of a man in a hat with a machete at his left and a gun at his right with "NAtion Time" in a text box at the bottom right, all in red and black. Scene...
Black People: A Nation Behind Bars 1978 Poster has a central image of an African American family behind bars with a black and white flag at the bottom left and a red background. To the left and right is black text listing the schedule...	You might not have the Black Panther Party Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and white images and black text set on a blue background with a white border all around. At the top left is the Black Panther Party panther logo. At the top right is the logo of a...