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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Winged Victories: A Benefit for Women with HIV/AIDS Mission Grafica 1992 Poster screen printed on white paper with a blue border, black text, and a central stylized image of a naked black female figure running over red and yellow flames holding a spear-like object with...	Rubbers are bringing men together again. 1986 Poster has a gray and white photograph of two shirtless men standing next to each other, with their pectorals touching. Poster reads in pink, "Rubbers are bringing / men together / again." at the...
Safer Sex: Proud of It 1991 Multicolor poster has a photo of two naked men, with the figure on the left kissing the neck of the figure on the right and holding his penis, covered with a condom. At the top is "Safer Sex -...	Do the Right Thing Every Time Inkworks Press, printer, Jos Sances, designer Late 20th Early 21st Century Postter has white unprinted edges enclosing a yellwo background. At the top is "Do the right thing" continued at the bottom with "every time!" all in black. The center is divided into six sections...
Drug Abuse & AIDS Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster screenprinted on white paper. Top and bottom edges are black with white text reading "Drogas Y Sida: no jueges loteria con tu vida. / Drug Abuse & AIDS: don''t play lottery with your...	Drug Abuse & AIDS Herbert Siguenza, designer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. Top and bottom edges are black with white text reading "Drogas Y Sida: no jueges loteria con tu vida. / Drug Abuse & AIDS: don''t play lottery with your life."...
The Possibilites Are Endless Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "the possibilities are endless!" in black. At the center is a color photo of four men in leather posing. At the top left is "leather and S/M fantasy...	The Choices We Share Can Keep Us Healthy Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "the choice we share / can keep us healthy" in black. At the center is a color photo of two men embracing, with the man on the left leaning back in...
Think Again 1998 Poster has a blue and white background that looks like a close up of a fingerprint. White text on the poster reads "''It Can''t Happen To Me.'' / Think / Again / Over 30 Million / People Are...	AIDS: Trading Fears for Facts Keith Haring, illustrator 1988 Poster has an orange printed background. At the top is a blue and yellow stylized image of featureless figures moving around. At the bottom fo the poster is "AIDS: Trading / Fears / For Facts / A...
Who Me? 1998 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is "Who / Me?" in blue. At the bottom is "When It Comes To HIV, / No One Is Invincible. / educate yourself regarding the risks - / for your sake...	San Francisco AIDS Awareness Week 1987 Graphic Arts of Marin Inc., printer 1987 Poster is printed on white/cream paper. Poster has a white border. The main image is centered in the poster and has several multicolored faces pointing in all four directions. Around the faces are...
To Conquer Fear is the Beginning of Wisdom 1989 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a stylized image of a yellow, red, green and blue plane with a starburst and the earth in the background. Below the image is a quote by...	AIDS: It's Time for Schools to Act 1992 Multicolor poster has blue and black background images organized into quadrants of children in classrooms. At the center of each edge of the poster are the letters to spell out "AIDS" in red....
She Shows All the Signs of Having HIV Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a photo of a woman''s face. At the bottom of the poster is "she shows / all the signs of / having HIV. / there aren''t any you can see....	Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a pink and gray background with white and black text. Main image is of a young man''s face in the right triangle. At the top poster reads, "He looks young and healthy, so it''s probably...
Don't Just Worry About HIV... Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a photo of a figure''s face. At teh bottom fo the poster is "don''t just worry / about HIV. / do something / about it. / if you think you...	The Needle That Kills Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a red background with a stylized image of a looking glass with an arm in the middle. The arm has a needle sticking out fo the crook. The needle extends...
The Message is Hope 1994 Poster has green, purple and orange ink printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized sun on a horizon, with choppy horizontal lines surrounding purple foreign text. In green is "The Message Is...	untitled (figures in vehicle surrounded by phrases) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with an illustration of two figures in a vehicle with a propellor at the front. The images on the poster are filled with encouraging phrases related to...
untitled (syringe in arm) 1968 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a negative exposure image of an arm with a syringe sticking into the crook, set over an American flag. Below the image is "see the breath of...	Crack Japantown Art and Media, designer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Crack / it doesn''t discriminate." At the bottom is an illustration of five people gathered around a tombstone weeping.
Cocaine Kills 1989 Multicolor poster has a photo of a man in all black with a black hat and skull and scorpion jewelry standing against a brick wall with "cocaine / kills" spray painted in red. Tot he right of the...	Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized, multicolor image of Jesus Christ sitting on his horizontal cross with his face resting between his knees. In the fore is a dollar bill and a syringe. In the background, a...