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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Get Caught With Pot And We'll Supply The Munchies. Late 20th Early 21st Century Black and white poster with a photo of several men standing or sitting in a jail. Text above and below image is white on a black background and points out that in Maricopa County, being caught...	Smoke Less Live Longer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Roswell Park Memorial Institute with a cartoon image of a hand with a cleaver cutting through a pack of cigarettes. Text reads: "Smoke Less" (in red) and "Live Longer" in yellow....
Why Filter Spring Time? Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a color cartoon of a man and a women near a river and waterfall and woodsy scenery. they both have cigarettes in their mouths. Caption reads: "Why Filter Springtime?	Now Your Drugs Come With a Guarantee. 1989 Black and white poster with a photo of a man in a jail standing behind bars, with hands wrapped around bars. Text above and below image point out that in Maricopa County, being caught with drugs...
Smoke the Money Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Roswell Park Memorial Institute with a color cartoon with two men. The man on left is smoking a cigarette. The man at right is using a lighter to light paper money sticking out of...	No Thanks! I Don't Pack Into Phone Booths or Eat Goldfish Either! Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Roswell Park Memorial Institute with a color cartoon of a woman saying "No thanks!" and holding her hand out in a stop-motion to another arm going toward her with a pack of...
Live life to the fullest in the year 2000 1999 Poster with a calendar for the year 2000. At top it reads: "Live life to the fullest in the year 2000" on top of simple illustrations in blue lines of peoplpe taking part in activities such as...	Get Crack Free. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Larkin Street Youth Center in San Francisco providing information for people between the ages of 12 and 17 to get off drugs. Poster is white with black text. "Get Crack Free" is in...
Studies Prove Children Can't Smoke Pot While Swimming Underwater. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster asking parents to be involved in pushing healthy activities for they children as a means to avoid drugs. Poster has color photograph of a girl swimming underwater in a black and red bathing...	The Ups & Downs of Weekend Habits M. Loving, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the SPHA advertising the event "The Ups & Downs of Weekend Habits." Poster has text stacked on the left hand side on white background. At right is a silhouetted profile of a face...
Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Stop AIDS Project advocating save sex to minimize the risk of exporsure to AIDS. Poster is divided into four quadrants: top left, blurry image of a hand holding a glass with alcohol...	Safe S/M Sex Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster from the AIDS COmmittee of Toronto advocating safer S/M sex. Poster has a black and white photograph of two men: man on left has ropes tied around his torso and he is blindfolded; man on...
Love Carefully 1988 Poster produced by the Health Education Department of the White Apache Tribe in Arizona urging people to protect themselves against AIDS infection. Poster has an illustration with silhouettes of a...	Listo para la accion... con condon. Warwick May, photographer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with black and white photograph of two men engaged in sexual activity--one man lying face down; the other kneeling behind hime and wearing a condom. Background is white with black text in...
Get An Early Start! Patty Coluse, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the AIDS Project of the East Bay, providing contact information for the organization. Poster has illustration with colorful, simplified figures running, cycling, walking a dog, playing...	Get Carried Away 1990 Poster for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation advocating the use of condoms. Poster has a black and white photograph of two men kissing. The man on the right is wearing a condom. Text above and...
Southeast Asian Health Project Russ Talbot, photographer Late 20th Early 21st Century Laminated poster for the Southeast Asian Health Project. Poster is black with red text in Cambodian at top and in English across bottom. At center is a color photograph of a Cambodian family--...	A Thousand Pints of Lite Doug Minkler, artist 1990 Poster with colorful illustratino of George H.W. Bush at right and Dan Quayle at left with light beers in their hands. Below read "War on Drugs" in text that has an American flag pattern. Below...
Buck Tobacco Sponsorship Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with illustration of a man riding a bucking bull, with a tin of chewing tobacco by the bull''s back legs. Background is beige with black text at top that reads: "Don''t let spit tobacco...	There's strength in our numbers Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with black and white photograph of two men holding each other. Title above reads: "There''s strength in our number" in white text on black box. Logo for Stop AIDS Project at bottom right....
We can live. Together. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Cascade AIDS Project with black and white photograph of two Caucasian men leaning on each other and smiling. Text above reads: "We Can live. Together. The best defense we have...	California Wine Country Norman Orr, artist Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor, stylized background image of a brick Paul Masson building next to a vineyard where workers harvest grapes that are being pressed at the bottom center. Over the top of the...
AIDS: Different People...Different Myths...Different Fears Larry Merkle, photographer 1987 Poster has a mint green printed background. At the top is "AIDS / different people...different myths...different fears". Below the text is a black and white photo of people of all ages and races....	Say No 1987 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is red and blue text reading "Say No / To / Drugs / Alcohol / Tobacco / and yes to life!" At the bottom of the poster is a color photo of adolescents with...