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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Indymedia newreal Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster to advertise Indymedia Newsreal screenings. Poster has an illustration of a strip of film in red on a black background.	Peace Works 1985 Poster for Peace Works and People''s World. "Peace Works" in red, block text across poster on white background. Overlaps black silhouetter of factories and a crowd of people holding signs.
Come. And be my baby. Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for the Poems on the Underground series with a poem by Maya Angelou in two columns, black text on a white background. Red hearts between each word in the phrase "And be my baby."	Youth Arts Festival 1988 Poster advertising a Youth Arts Festival in Berkeley, California in 1998. Poster is white with student-made drawing of a king. Block of text below on a black background with details about the...
Against Forgetting Twentieth Century Poetry of Witness Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising a poetry reading held at U.C. Berkeley, with contributors to Against Forgetting. Poster has a photograph of a figurative sculpture against a cloudy sky. Various poet''s names...	Building Community Through the Arts Inkworks Press, printer Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertizing the East By Center for the Performing Arts in Richmond, California. Poster has four quadrants showing upcoming performance series: CBCPA faculty performances, El Segundo...
Street Dance Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with illustration and text in brown on yellow paper. Illustration at center shows a street scene with many people dancing. Text borders the art.	Processed World Circa 1982 Poster for Processed World Magazine with an illustration of outer space, and a person sitting in front of a computer on a desk that is on top of a rectangular globe of the earth. One corner of...
Peace Works Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster with the title "Peace Works" in red block text, overlapping with a silihousett of factories and workers holding signs.	Peace on our Planet Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster for A People''s Holiday Market. Purple ink on light blue paper, with a darker purple border and text. The top half of purple area has stars.
Wilfred Burchett Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising an even with guest speaker Wilfred Burchett in San Francisco. Poster is white with black text and a black and white photograph of Burchett at center.	Guardian 30th Anniversary Celebration Inkworks Press, printer 1978 Poster advertising the 30th anniversary celebration of the Guardian newspaper on Friday, November 3, 1978 in San Francisco. Poster has an illistruation of several people walking with a red banner...
Country Joe McDonald Mission Grafica, printer 1984 Poster advertising a benefit concert starring Country Joe McDonald at the Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley, California. Poster has an illustration of a guitar across the center. The background...	Read The Militant Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster advertising the periodical The Militant, a socialist newsweekly. Poster is red with white and black text.
Barricade Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on yellow paper. At the top is "Barricade / July 5, Year of the Barricade Vol. 1 No. 1". At the left is a dotted image of the soldier running with a shield. At the...	The Revolutionary Worker circa 1990 Poster has a black printed background. At the top left is "From The Pages Of / The Revolutionary Worker/ / Obrero Revolucionario..." in white and red. All over the poster are black and white...
30 Years of the Texas Observer Futura, printer 1984 Poster has black and brown ink printed on off-white paper. At the top is "30 Years / Of / The Texas Observer / ''The Tyrant''s Foe, The People''s Friend'' The Texas Observer, 600 West 7th Street,...	Blackout Bookstore and Info-Shop Eric Drooker 1995 Poster printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized blue, black and white image of human figures crossing a street with tall buildings on both sides. At the bottom of the poster is "...
Scanlan's: Impeach Nixon 1970 Poster printed in black and red ink on white paper and shows a reproduction of the front cover of Scanlan''s magazine, volume one number four from June 1970. "Scanlan''s" printed in large text at...	Blackout: Bookstore and Info-Shop 1998 Poster has a black printed background. At the top is a stylized purple and white image of human figures crossing a street with tall buildings and sky walks on both sides. At the bottom of the...
Welcome to the future 'Cause here it is - Revolution. 1979 Poster has a black and white photo of two young boys in traditional dress holding machine guns. In the upper left is Arabic writing. Poster reads, Welcome to the future ''Cause here it is -...	Andrei Voznesensky 1971 Poster has a black and white background photo of a man in a fur hat and heavy coat standing outside. At the top is "City Lights / Presents / Andrei / Voznesensky" in black. At the bottom is "...
New York Book Fair Faculty Press, printer 1975 Poster printed on beige paper with a stylized image of a purple book. At the top of the book, rising from the pages, is a stylized city skyline, with a sun on the "horizon," or back cover. On the...	Cross Town Traffic La Raza Graphic Center Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster is screenprinted on white paper. Poster has a white border with a blue background. In the middle of the poster is a stylized red city skyling with yellow stars and red leaves above. A tthe...