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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A Day of Remembrance February 19, 1979: Revisit the site of the Tanforan Detention Center Japantown Art & Media Workshop ~ printer 1979 Poster has a red background with a black and white drawing on the left of a person sitting on a bed inside a wood structure. Below the drawing is "Tanforan 1942" in white. On the right is text in...	Journey to Kigali: Peace "Pot" Prosperity Through Turned on Direct Action: Rwanda Row-Out 1967 Janice Speck ~ artist 1967 Poster is printed on tan paper with brown ink. The poster has images of Egyptians, African men in suits, African tribe people, Women with hats and bikinis, and topless women laying around. They...
Palestine Cultural Day Festival Jane Norling ~ artist 1979 Poster has woman standing in traditional Palestinan dress with her hands on her hips. In the background are trees, green fields, and red and green floral pattern. The upper left of the poster...	Libertad para los 6 de San Quintin [Freedom for the San Quentin Six] Jane Norling ~ artist 1971 Small poster with a blue background and outlined images of African American men. The men are a group coming through a break in a wall that is silhouetted against red. Some of the men have their...
Independence for Puerto Rico: U.S. Out Now Jane Norling ~ artist 1977 Poster has a blue background with a Puerto Rican flag at the top edge. Outlined at the top and bottom of the flag are celebrating people. The bottom of the poster reads, "Independence for Puerto...	Women Health Workers Conference: April 6 Jane Norling ~ artist 1973 Poster has a drawing of four women. From front to back the figure closest to the viewer is wearing a green uniform, the next two are in white, and the last is wearing green. All four women are...
Their destiny is tied up with our destiny... James A. McFarlane ~ artist, Workshop Printers ~ printer c. 1981 Poster has a drawing in the center of two men standing in black and white with grey accents. Printed over the men is a quote from Martin Luther King in orange lettering. Below the image is "Silme...	(Susan Saxe quote) Jackrabbit Press ~ printer 1975 Poster has is printed on red paper with a white image of a woman in profile. She is wearing large glasses. The bottom right has blue text that reads, "I intend to keep fighting/ as a lesbian/ as a...
Stop the Grand Jury! [Puerto Rico] Jambalaya Productions ~ artist, Salsedo Press ~ printer 1977 Poster has an image of the Puerto Rican flag in the shape of the island. Black and white hands are hammering a nail into the country with a hammer that has FBI on the end. Two pink hands are...	Free all Black Liberation Fighters [Assata Shakur quote] Jackrabbit Press ~ printer c. 1971 Small poster with a drawing of an African American woman wearing a blue shirt and hoop earrings. The background behind her is small black and white stripes. Along the bottom edge in brown is "Free...
(U.S. POWs in Vietnam) Jack Rabbit Press ~ printer 1975 Poster has green leafy foilage bordering the left side and the top edge. From the upper left corner are four rays of red that extend to the bottom and right edge at a diagonal. Following the red...	Asian American Poetry Reading Jack Loo ~ artist 1975 Poster has a drawing in the center of yellow sheet of paper being drawn on by a hand holding a red pencil. There is a red sqaure border behind the sheet of paper. Above the drawing in large black...
Songs + Poems from Beneath Icebergs & Volcanos Jack Loo ~ artist, Japantown Art & Media Workshop ~ printer 1978 Poster has a yellow background with several images on the left of a man singing and holding a guitar. There is also a man wearing a conical shaped hat. The bottom right has a building in red. The...	See-Hear-The Cleveland Wrecking Company: Benefit for Striking SF State teachers Berkeley Graphic Arts ~ printer, J. Worthington ~ artist 1969 Poster has a black and white background of lines and swirls. Over the background is "See-Hear-The Cleveland Wrecking Company. in historic first rock dance concert of this site! / women's faculty...
US Navy Out of Vieques : Marina Yankee fuera de Vieques Chicago Women's Graphics Collective, Isabel Rosado ~ artist c. 1974 Poster has an image in green in the center of a soldier holding a gun facing a woman wearting a white shawl offering things in her hands. Above is US Navy Out Of Vieques" in blue white and...	Victory: Vietnam - Palestine [demonstration] Ismail Shammout ~ artist c. 1972 Poster has a red background with black and white drawings of a soldier wearing a head scarf and a solider wearing a concial hat. both are struggling over a flag with Victory on it. The bottom has...
Juneteenth 82 [1982] Emancipation Celebration ISA Graphics ~ artist ~ printer 1982 Poster has a red background with green text and a black image. The center has a man standing holding a rope and wearing a large brimmed hat and a belt with bullets. In front of him is a saddle on...	Farmworkers Salsa Spectacular Inkworks Press ~ printer, Ruben Guzman ~ artist c. 1965 Top of poster has UFW black eagle logo. Poster reads from top to bottom: "MECHA / UC Berkeley Presents/ Dance Dance/ Farmworkers / Salsa Spectacular/ A Pre-election Dance / to Benefit Yes on 14/...
Bite Back Inkworks Press ~ printer, Rainforest Action Network ~ publisher c. 2001 Poster has a drawing of a red dinosaur in the center holding a sign. The sign has a speech bubble with "I [heart] destroying Old Growth! Boise." Below has "Bite Back www.ran.org."	Fiesta Campesina: Outdoor Festival Greek Theater UC Berkeley Inkworks Press ~ printer 1974 Poster is printed on yellow paper with black text and a red drawing. In the center is a drawing of man holding a plow behind a cow. They are walking into the sunset. The poster reads across the...
UC Regents hearing South African Investments: Divestment Day June 8 UC Berkeley Inkworks Press ~ printer 1978 Poster is printed in black and white and has an outline of Africa in the center with an image of man behind bars over the bottom area. The top edge of the poster reads in large letters, "UC...	Demonstrate on Aug. 18 In Opposition to Shah's Fascist Regime, and U.S. Involvement in Iran Inkworks Press ~ printer Poster has a photograph in the center of a statue being pulled down off a tower. The poster reads from top to bottom, "Demonstrate on Aug. 18 In opposition to Shah's fascist regime, and U.S....
Free the FALN 11 [Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional - Armed Forces of National Liberation] Inkworks Press ~ printer c. 1980 Poster has a center image of a white and black striped star on a black background. The poster reads from top to bottom in red, "Free The/ FALN/ 11/ Free Nydia and Pablo/ U.S. Navy out of Vieques...	Film Benefit: Lolita Lebron I.W.W. Shop ~ printer c. 1974 Poster has a yellow and black image of a woman speaking and wearing pearl drop earrings on the right. The bottom edge has "Film Benefit" printed in large blue lettering with yellow circle with a...