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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Better Living Thru [through] Chemistry American Newsrepeat Company ~ publisher, Edmund Shea ~ photographer 1967 Poster has a photograph of a woman standing, smiling with open arms. Behind her stand two men and one woman. They are all standing on a busy San Francisco street.There is a truck on the right side...	Acid Man Double-H Press, Doug Markkanen 1967 Poster has a red background with a figure in the center. The figure has blue and white striped shirt and black and red plaid pants. The words peace, love, and reality integrated into the figure...
For a new Look: Morrison Dennis Beall ~ artist 1967 Small poster with a red and blue striped background. On the left is the a blue silhouette of a man's profile. The poster has red with a black outline lettering. It reads, "For a New Look/ Morrison...	(Erotic Smoking Ethnic Couple) David Hodges ~ artist, The Blessed Trinity ~ publisher c. 1967 Poster has nude seated male figure with markings on his forehead and pierced ears. The figure is holding the hose of a hooka in his left hand. A nude female figure is reclining into the lap of the...
The Invisible Circus: A 72 Hour Environmental Community Happening David Hodges ~ artist, San Francisco Poster Co. ~ publisher 1967 The top edge of the poster has a border created by two stylized hyena on either side of a stylized bird. Below is the text: "The / Invisible / Circus" behind this the word "free" is repeated...	Haight Ashbury San Francisco: Come to Middle Earth Berkeley Bonaparte, Clifford Charles Seeley ~ artist, Tea Lautrec Posters ~ print shop 1969 Poster has a purple border. Right side of poster has a stylized representation of a male face with long hair in orange, red, and purple. Left side of poster has the text: "Haight / Ashbury / San...
Benefit! Vietnam Summer Charles Fleischman 1967 Poster is printed in blue ink on orange paper. In the center of the poster is a blue image of a man with long hair, flower garlands, beads and peace symbol necklaces, and a fringe shirt holding a...	Benefit Vietnam Summer Charles Fleischman 1967 Poster is printed on light blue paper with dark blue ink. Center of poster has a female head and bust with long wavy hair. The woman has a peace symbol on one cheek. The upper right of the head...
I am the Door Lawerence Ferlinghetti American Newsrepeat Company ~ publisher, Ernest Lowe ~ photographer 1967 Poster has a black and white photograph of Lawrence Ferlinghetti standing next to a light colored fence. He is wearing a hat and is holding his lapel with both hands. The fence has "I am the door...	Marin Youth for Action presents : Big Brother and the Holding Company and Quicksillver Messenger Service [...] Allan, Double-H Press 1967 Poster has a background image of a blue sky with an orange hillside that has seven orange outlined figures holding hands and playing instruments. Printed in orange lettering above the figures is...
Conference on the draft John H. Myers, Kenneth Patchen 1967 Poster has a white and blue border around the center image. The center image has a red background with blue ribbons and white star decoration. The poster reads from the top to bottom, "...