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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untitled (shepherd and sheep) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and blue ink printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized image of a flock of sheep gathered around a man in black and a sign with three "cruel laws" for the sheep. Text...	untitled (skeleton anarchist) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with stylized images of a skeleton in an anarchy shirt perpetuating anarchist stereotypes, like burning American flags and lobbying for the elimination...
Beauty Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with rays of green and gray on the background. At the top is a stylized black and white face with green and orange snakes for hair. At the bottom left is "to see...	Here are a Few Ways to Welcome Rich People to Seattle Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "Here Are A Few Ways To Welcome / Rich People To Seattle..." The top left has a recommendation on how to sabotage restaurants patronized...
Fear and Ignorance Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a stylized red, white and blue American flag background. At the top is "united we stand in" in gray. At the bottom is "Fear And Ignorance" in gray. At the right...	Untitled Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a background image of a female figure walking through a street in a parade of some sort holding an American flag. A thought bubble from the woman...
Imperial Death Machine Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a background of stylized, vertical red, gray and blue guns. At the top is a gear with a skull at the center wearing a red, white and blue Uncle Sam hat, with a...	Disaster Strikes Suddenly Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper with a black and white background image of a city with a large mushroom cloud overhead. At the top is "Disaster / Strikes / Suddenly". At the bottom is "stay prepared...
Police State Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a gray stylized skull for a background. At the right, two shaded helicopters fly over the skeleton face. Down the left is "Police State".	The Revolution Will Not Be On Television Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the left, a huge wave-like shape looms over a castle at the bottom right. At the top of the wave is "the revolution will / not be on television. /...
The Questions Worth Answering Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is "fuck / the / ????". At the bottom is "Who''s Streets? / Who''s City? / Who''s World?" Vertically down the right is "The Questions Worth...	Resistance is Fertile Late 20th Early 21st Century A full page black and white photograph shows a woman in a crowd of people wearing a white shirt with a rifle slung over her shoulder. The woman is smiling at the camera and carries a...
Direct Action Speaks Louder than Words Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. At the top is an illustration of tents pitched on train tracks in front of a train. Vertically down the upper left edge is text about Vancouver...	Total Liberation Project 2002 Poster has a yellow printed background. At the top is "total.liberation / project" in purple and brown, followed by a strip of the same image repeated 14 times showing the profile of a figure in a...
Spring Talks Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized green background image of a city skyline with a tall tree growing from the center. In the treetop is "City Lights Foundation & Counterpulse Present / Shaping San...	Anarchy is not Leftism Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the top is "anarchy is not leftism!" in red. At the center is black text explaining the differences between anarchists and political leftists. At the bottom is "-...
Nobody Says...I Want to Be a Pig When I Grow Up Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a brown printed background with a color photo at the left of armed police officers attacking a man cowering against a wall. The scene is seen from above. At the top left is "nobody says...	The Freedom to Choose Among Commodities... Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a green printed background with a central black swirling line, like a vortex. At the center are color images of cartoon character - Fred Flinstone at the left, Wilma Flinstone at the...
untitled (image of and quote by Errico Malatesta) Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has blue ink printed on off white paper. At the left is a stylized image of a man in a hat. At the right is a quote attributed to Errico Malatesta of New Humanity, dated April 13, 1922.	Never Give Up Cristy C. Road, artist 2005 Poster has a stylized, multicolor image of a line of people riding bicycles up into the sky toward the sun above the outline of a city. A black ribbon wraps around each figure and forms "never...
Nobody Says... Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a red background. At the center is a blue and white illustration of a man in a suit wearing glasses and smiling. At the top and bottom is "nobody says...	untitled (people battling dragons) Cristy C. Road Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a stylized, multicolor image of people running through dirt hills as dragons fly in the yellow sky above. In the fore, a man wrestles with a red dragon, as the man behind them aims a...
South Central Farm Is Everywhere Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper with a background photo showing people forming a line in front of a bulldozer. Across the top is "South Central Farm Is Everywhere." At the top right is...	Shoot Moneybags Not People Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has white unprinted endged enclosing a gold block background. Red text at the top left and bottom right reads "Shoot / Moneybags" and "Not People". At the center is a stylized image of a...