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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Drugs Can Stunt Your Growth. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster from the Partnership for a Drug-Free California advertising a booklet titled "Drugs Don''t Work." Poster is white with black text and a black line graph where the line starts at the upper...	We're Taking A Whole New Look At The Casual Drug User. 1989 Poster for the Maricopa County Demand Reduction Program warning about tougher drug laws with felony charges and jail time. Poster is black with white block text at top and a black and white...
Mr. Camel's Lumps Doug Minkler, artist 1992 Poster with an illustration of a Camel-like box of cigarettes, but instead they are called "Mr. Camel''s Lumps." Image on cigarette box is a camel in a suit, holding cigarettes and standing near a...	Barfboro Doug Minkler, artist 1991 Poster with an illustration of a Marlboro-like box of cigarettes, but instead they are called "Barfboro Chunks." Image on cigarette box is a cowboy barfing into a toilet. Behind the cigarette box...
We're Taking A Whole New Look At The Casual Drug User. 1989 Poster for the Maricopa County Demand Reduction Program warning about tougher drug laws with felony charges and jail time. Poster is black with white block text at top and a black and white...	Drugs Leave An Impression That Lasts A Lifetime. 1989 Poster for the Maricopa County Demand Reduction Program warning about tougher drug laws with felony charges and jail time. Poster is black with white block text at top and a black and white...
What the casual drug user will be wearing this season. 1989 Poster for the Maricopa County Demand Reduction Program warning about tougher drug laws with felony charges and jail time. Poster is black with white block text at top and a black and white...	Think Twice Before You Speed Eric Sahlin, photographer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a black and white photograph of a man from the torso up. At the top of the image, paint, matches, tin foil, a car battery, and a spray paint cannister are pouring into the cut off top...
It's amazing how Dave's car broke down for the fifth straight Monday. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster from the Partnershiup for a Drug-Free California with information about ordering a free guide titled "Drugs Don''t Work in Your Workplace." Poster is white with black text and a black and...	We Remember Our Co-workers Who Have Died of AIDS. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with color photograph of a quilt made my Chevron employees in honor of their coworkers who died from AIDS. Quilt is black with 24 small squares (one per person) and a larger central square...
How Many Of You Have Had Sex? Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster divided into three sections. Top section has a black and white photograph of several teenages, each with a hand/arm up. Text in red above reads: "How many of you have had sex?" In the next...	There's strength in our numbers Late 20th Early 21st Century Black and white poster with a large photograph of two men in sleeveless shirts hugging. Text above in black box reads: "There''s strength in our numbers." Stop AIDS Project logo at bottom right....
speak to your brothers from the heart Ken Anderson, photographer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Cascade AIDS Project urging homosexual men to speak to their brothers. Poster is black and white with a photograph of six men snading next to one another in various levels of...	Blessing '97 1997 Poster advertising the Blessing ''97 event held at RFK Stadium in honor of marriage and family values. Poster has a large illustration of Jesus Christ standing over RFK Stadium, with a crowd in...
Speak To Your Brothers Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster from the Men''s Prevention Program at Cascade AIDS Project with four illustrations of simplified faces in a grid, with text running around the square.	Slavery Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a color photograph at left of a person inserting a syringe in his arm to use heroin, with lots of heroin paraphenalia on a table. Right half of poster is black with "Slavery" in white...
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants 2005 Poster with yellow text that is a quotation from Isaac Newton, superimposed on a color photograph of a spinal cord neuron, which is red on a black background. Verso folds into a four-page pamphlet...	Slavery Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a color photograph of a man inserting a syringe in his arm to use heroin. Left half of poster is black with "Slavery" in white block letters.
Through the unknown we will find the new 2005 Poster with a quote from Charles Baudelaire in white superimposed on a photograph of a spinal cord neuron and dentrites, which are red and yellow on a black background. Verso folds into a four-...	The Universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper 2005 Poster with text in red and white (quotation from Eden Phillpotts) superimposed on a color photograph of nerve fibers in the spinal cord, which are different colors in the lacy pattern on a black...
Where observation is concerned chance favors only the prepared mind 2005 Poster with green text that is a quote from Louis Pasteur superimposed on a colorful photograph of nerve cells--yellow and red, green, blue, red, and purple blobs on a dark background. Verso folds...	Untitled Miles Herkenham, photographer 2005 Poster with quote from Jacob Bronowski in purple type, superimposed over a photograph of nerve cells and their fibers. Nerve cells are black root-like lines on a beige and purple background. Verso...
People love to wonder and that is the seen of science Miles Herkenham, photographer 2005 Poster with a quote in orange type superimposed on a colorful photograph of THC receptors in the hippocampus--areas of orange an yellow swirls on blue and black background. Verso folds into a four...	The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom but to set a limit to infinite error Mark E. Molliver, photographer 2005 Poster with a quotation in white superimposed on a photo of nerve cells in the cerebellum. Image is predominantly orange with brown nerves lines throughout. Verso is a four-page pamphlet with...