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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Cigarettes 1990 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a blue background. At the left is "cigarettes / 1 89 / pack price plus tax" in yellow and white. At the right is a yellow background with a stylized...	Don't Close the Book on a Promising Future 1997 Multicolor poster has an image of a book resting on a surface. The title on the cover of the book is "Steer Clear / Of Drugs / And Alcohol." At the top of the poster is "Don''t Close The / Book On...
Don't Blow It With Drugs Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a brown printed background. At the top is white text reading "don''t blow it with drugs." At the bottom is a photo of a headless man in a green sweater.	Drugs: A Deadly Game Boy Scouts of America, copyright 1989 Poster has a brown patterned background. At the center is a stylized image of a body, showing human anatomy. Major organs are color coded, with lines extending to colored dots around the edges....
Smoking is Very Sophisticated Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has brown ink printed on beige paper. At the top is a photo of a man in a hat smoking a cigarette. At the bottom of the poster is "Smoking Is Very / Sophisticated". At the bottom left is...	We've Got the Key to Set You Free Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster has a photo of a man in a blue shirt chained to a pack of cigarettes on the table in front of him. At the top is "We''ve Got The Key / To Set You Free." in white. Centered at the...
Give Yourself a Real Break Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster has a photo of a pair of hands breaking a cigarette in half. At the top of the poster is "Give Yourself A / Real Break." in red and white. Centered at the bottom is "Find Out...	Improve Your Self-Image Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster has a photo of a man fixing in his tie while smoking a cigarette. His reflection shows a brighter, more put together version of himself, fixing his tie and wearing an anti-...
Can You Spot the Alcoholic? 1986 Poster has a multicolor image of a crowd of people walking down a sidewalk lined with buildings sporting American flags. At the right center is a white box with black text reading "can you spot /...	Smoking Spoils Your Look Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a gray printed background with a photo of a woman in a white jumpsuit posing with cigarettes in her ears. At the top is "Smoking / Spoils / Your / Looks" in black. At the bottom right...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor image of a woman in a leotard and leg warmers, with a towel slung over her shoulder, holding a bundle of cigarettes. At the top right is "Now / You Really / Have Come / A...	Smoking Pollutes You and Everything Else 1973 Poster has a multicolor, stylized image of a figure in a blue suit walking outdoors. The figure''s head has been replaced by a smoking cigarette and he hold a smaller cigarette in his right hand....
Smoking Spoils Your Performance 1983 Poster printed on white paper. At the right is a color photo of a man in a suit singing. At the left is "Smoking / Spoils Your / Performance / Placido / Domingo" with the American Lung Association...	Prop 86 Late 20th Early 21st Century Multicolor poster has a background of white/gray clouds with a dollar bill at the bottom left being eaten by the Captiol building at the right. At the top of the poster is "Prop 86 would increase...
Surgeon Generals Warn: Inkworks Press, printer 2003 Poster has a white background with black, white, and red text. At the top is an image of a pack of cigarettes that reads, "Surgeon Generals Warn: Prop 54 Is Hazardous To Your Health, And Will...	Untitled 1998 Poster has a multicolor background photo of two men riding horses through a gate with a yellow/orange sky in the background. Through the center is "I miss my lung, Bob."
Choose Not to Chew Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a color photo of a man posing in a Minnesota Twins baseball uniform, holding a bat. In the background is an image of the same man jumping to catch a ball at the boundary in the outfield...	Untitled 1997 Poster has a multicolor background photo of two men in cowboy hats on horses having a conversation. Through the center is "Bob, I''ve got emphysema." in white.
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...	Dancing: My Anti-Drug Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor background photo showing a young man in a beaded and featherd costume dancing around on the grass. To the right of the boy''s body is "Monty Meninick. ager 12. Yakima....
Pottery: Our Anti-Drug Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor background photo showing two young boys standing against a wall, showing off the ceramic crafts in their upturned palms. To the left of the boys is "Preston Chino. age 11....	The Head of the Class Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "the head of / the class." in black. At the center is a color photo of a child with his head down on an open book on his desk, as the other children...
Drumming: My Anti-Drug Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor background photo showing a young lady in a straw hat and red traditional dress pounding on a drum with a stylized image of an animal painted on the front. To the right of...	And Then I Got Busted Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a photo of a man with a beard. At the top right of the image is "Mercury Morris" and at the bottom is "And Then I Got Busted." The bottom...