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.

View results as Grid View results as List Browse Full Collection Advanced Search

Preaching to the Converted 1994 Poster advertising a benefit performance by Dance Brigade. Poster is a colorized reproduction of the painting "Gabrielle d''Estr_es et une de ses soeurs," which has two nude women from the waist...	Crowsfeet Dance Collective Inkworks Press, printer, Lisa Kokin, artist Circa 1985 Poster for Crowsfeet Dance Collective. Poster is white with a colorful illustration of people dancing. Text about a performance and tickets below illustration.
San Francisco Good Times Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising the documentary file titled "San Francisco Good Times." Poster is white with black text. At the center is a rectangle with text in red reading: "Leaders of the world, resign ''I...	Moe Moskowitz 1922-1997 2002 Poster advertising the 80th birthday of Moe Moskowitz of Moe''s books.; Poster has color illustration of the outside of the book store, Moe, people reading books, and a person pulling a book off...
The Berkeley Public Library Foundation Thacher Hurd, artist 2003 Poster for the Berkeley Public Library Foundation annoucing an authors dinner. Image is a man reclining in a mall boat while reading a book. A fishing rod extends out of the boat, and hanging from...	Face of the Arts Allied Printing, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a grid of photographic portraits in black and white of a variety of people. One section without portraits reads: "Face of the Arts." Another square is white with black text reading: "...
Learning through Education in the Arts Project Inkworks Press, printer 1992 Poster for the Learning Through Education in the Arts Project with a 1992 calendar across bottom half and a photograph of a quilt mural with 169 self-portraits of school children. Background is...	OINK Alliance Graphics, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with a balance scale in white on a red background. Left side of balance has a bill (currency) and weighs more than right side, which reads "The Arts" and has many figures. Across the top is...
The Sounds We Make Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on brown craft paper for The Sounds We Make music festival in Oakland, California. Poster has a blue bird with long tail feathers balancing on the back of a purple deer, which is on...	Taj Mahal Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising a concert featuring the group Taj Mahal in Berkeley as a benefit for the organization Commonarts. Poster is tan with magenta linework and text. Image is of six figures playing...
Vanguard Public Foundation Nancy Hom, artist 1985 Poster titled "Vanguard Public Foundation" with a print of a woman in pink with arms outstretched, as if dancing. She is supported by graphic shapes like ribbons and confetti.. Lizard at bottomr...	Tenderloin Arts Festival 1988 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a multicolor, stylized image of two figures drinking a hot beverage from a green road that leads to a city beneath the sun. At the top left is "Art Hits...
Macolm X Jazz Arts Festival 2003 Multicolor poster is an advertisement for a music festival. At the top left is "imperialism" with a phonetic spelling and two definitions. Across the top is "Eastside Arts Alliance presents the...	Arts Explosion 1989 Poster has a neon green printed background. At the top is "Oakland Festival Of The Arts Presents" in black and "Arts Explosion" in pink, green and orange. Below the text are two stylized figures,...
Visions of Peace and Justice Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is printed on white paper and is an uncropped portion of a book or publication entitled "Visions of Peace and Justice". The poster is divided into four sections, or pages, all of which...	untitled (illustrations of faces) Inkworks Press, Rachael Romero 1984 Poster has 18 illustrations by Rachael Romero, organized in a 6x3 grid, showing human figures. Black ink printed on off-white paper.
Jul-83 Inkworks Press 1979 Poster has red and blue ink printed on white paper with a stylized background image of a figure with a dollar sign eye. At the top center is "July 79". The poster has six columns of events...	Jan-84 Inkworks Press 1980 Poster printed on white paper with a stylized background image of an orange and blue city with "Tenants Unite!" below. At the top center is "September 80". The poster has six columns of events...
Jun-82 Inkworks Press 1978 Poster printed on yellow paper with a multicolor stylized background image of a shoe labeled "Prop 13" poised over a town, ready to stomp. At the bottom left is "June / 78" in blue. The poster has...	Nov-81 Inkworks Press 1977 Poster printed on off-white paper. The background has red stylized apples and the text "no / more / rotten / apples". At the top is "November 77" in black. The poster has six columns of events...
Aug-83 Inkworks Press 1979 Poster has black, red and brown ink printed on pale yellow paper with a stylized background image of figures piled onto a vehicle, holding flags and guns. Centered at the top is "August 79". The...	Jul-81 Inkworks Press 1977 Poster has red and blue ink printed on white paper. At the bottom is a stylized image of a figure shouting into a podium of microphone with a skeleton on his shoulder and a man behing held by the...
Jun-83 Inkworks Press 1979 Poster has yellow and purple ink printed on white paper with a stylized background image of a butterfly flying over a large spherical structure. Centered at the top is "Juen 79". The poster has...	Sep-82 Inkworks Press 1978 Poster has brown ink printed on yellow paper with a semitransparent background image of a figure holding a "Fight Racism" flag and "Overtrun the Decision" sign. Centered at the top is "September...