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

Art is Education Inkworks Press 2006 Poster has white unprinted edges enclosing a yellow background. At the top of the yellow is "March 2006 / art Is education / a shared vision of a high quality education for / every child, in every...	Art & Action Inkworks Press, Yolanda M. Lopez 1984 Poster printed on yellow paper with a red, green and yellow background image of a shirt under overalls. The shirt has a cactus design and Health-tex tag. On the chest of the overalls is "Art...
Designs on Democracy Design Action Collective, Inkworks Press, printer 2004 Poster has a stylized red and orange background of a cityscape with a figure hanging posters on the image. The right edge is orange with "Designs / communication for liberation / on Democracy"...	Art Commission Hearing Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on white paper. At the left is a purple face, seen from profile view, with a similar blue face at the right, both facing center. In the purple face is "Art / Commission / Hearing /...
Journalists Under Fire: Vietnam & Iraq Late 20th Early 21st Century Top of poster has a black and white photo of a breathless man sitting in tall dead grasses. The bottom of the poster is black with white text, starting with "UC Berkeley''s Graduate School of...	Is the Media Failing America? 2006 Top of poster has a red, blue, black and white photo of a man in a trenchcoat. At the bottom of the image is "Is The Media / Failing America?" At the top right is information on the Hern Caen San...
Media Conference Rainbow Zenith Press 1971 Poster has a brown background printed on yellow paper. At the top is "Notehrn California / Media / Conference" in black and red. Below the text is a stylized yellow, black and orange image of the...	Supply & Demand: The Art of Shepard Fairey 2004 Poster has a red printed background. At the top is a stylized blackm beige and red image of an African American man, framed by leaf and knotted designs. At the top of the image is "Supply &...
Book Party for Artist Sue Coe Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black ink printed on white paper. At the top is a stylized illustration of a female figure hanging from lines of barbed wire. To the right of the image is "Sue Coe / Police State / 468...	Flag 1990 Poster printed on white paper and is designed to resemble an American flag, with alternating double lines of red and black text and a red box at the top left with "Flag" in black. The lines of...
Aesthetic Politics + Political Aesthetics 1991 Poster printed on white paper. At the top are alternating black and yellow boxes with "Aesthetic Politics / Political Aesthetics" followed by "Second Southland English Graduate Student Conference...	Imperialism is Death Squad Democracy 1985 Poster has a black printed background with white text and a white illustration at the top of a dripping hand print. At the top left is "Imperialism". Below the image is "Is Death Squad Democracy...
The Magazine Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a black printed background with white text at the top and a stylized illustration at the bottom showing birds circling around two hands with legs - one hand pointing a middle finger...	Big Deal David Schump 1999 Poster has a pixelated black and white background image of a woman with a suprised look on her face and her hands on her cheeks. At the top fo the poster is "Visual Aid encourages artists with...
Wallflower Order David Fichter Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor, stylized image of people singing and dancing through a street, surrounded by tall purple buildings. Some of the people play instruments while others clap. A banner (...	Wallflower Order David Fichter 1983 Poster has a multicolor, stylized image of people singing and dancing through a street, surrounded by tall purple buildings. Some of the people play instruments while others clap. A banner (...
Grupo Raiz David Fichter, Red Sun Press Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor graphic of a group of men and women dancing and playing instruments in a mountain landscape. Three figures at the front of the group play a guitar, recorder, and panpipes...	New Time Shuffle Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has black and red ink printed on white paper. At the top is a red circle witha stylized image of a woman wearing a long dress with hearts down the middle. Above the image is "New Time...
Circle the Earth 1987 Poster printed on white paper. At the top left are four diagonal lines and a black box with a purple circle in it. At the bottom left are two horizontal black bars and a yellow circle with a white...	Wallflower Order Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster printed on pink paper with a multicolor graphic of a group of men and women dancing and playing instruments in a mountain landscape. Three figures at the front of the group play a guitar,...
City Dance 1977 Poster has black and red ink printed on off-white paper. At the center is a circle with a stylized map of San Francisco, with a path drawn through the middle. Above the circle is a red sunrise,...	Wallflower Order David Fichter Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor, stylized image of five figures dancing in front of a tree and lake, wth one of the figures singing and pounding a hand drum. At the top of the poster is "Wallflower /...
Wallflower Order David Fichter Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor, stylized image of five figures dancing in front of a tree and lake, wth one of the figures singing and pounding a hand drum. At the top of the poster is "Wallflower /...	Wallflower Order Presents David Fichter, Popular Press Late 20th Early 21st Century Poster has a multicolor, stylized image of four figures in feathery skirts dancing on a rooftop with a cityscape in the background. At the top of the poster is "Wallflower Order Presents" in...