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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The Beard by Michael McClure Wes Wilson 1966 Poster has a dark purple background with red lettering and text. In the center are two line drawings of a woman and a man wearing a hat. The poster reads from top to bottom, "Presented in San...	Morrison for Mayor Wes Wilson 1967 Small poster with a large green dollar sign outlined in red as a background. Burning through the dollar sign is a blue and red image of a man wearing glasses. Around the image in yellow lettering...
Who be Kind to Allen Ginsberg Cranium Press, Wes Wilson 1967 Poster has a green border around a red and black speckled area. In the center are the face and hands of Allen Ginsberg holding a yellow tablet. Above the head in a halo shape is "Who Be Kind To"...	Days of Protest to Free Chol Soo Lee Japantown Art & Media Workshop ~ printer, Wes Senzaki ~ artist 1981 Poster has a pink, red and orange background with an image at the bottom that has white hands holding candles silhouetted against blue. Above are black and white drawings of men and women...
Tule Lake-June 3 Japantown Art & Media Workshop ~ printer, Wes Senzaki ~ artist 1978 Poster has a drawing of a man, a girl and a woman outlined in black and highlighted with yellow in the center. Behind them is a red background with a white guard tower and white barbed wire....	Unite Wayne Zampa ~ artist 1970 Small poster printed on blue paper. In the center is a red fist holding up a red peace symbol at the top. Below is "Unite" written in large red block lettering. Wayne "Wally" Zampa was an...
Celebrate with Cambodia : Their victory is ours Weather Underground Organization 1975 Poster has an orange background with a large red tree in the upper portion. Under the tree are several white outlined figures of men brandishing spears as they walk towards the right. The poster...	Benefit for The Workplace & The Environment Red Pepper Posters ~ workshop, Waller Press ~ printer 1972 Poster has a black and white drawing of three people in white suits, gas masks, and hard hats spraying something out of a can onto plants. The top right has "Benefit for The Workplace & The...
Afro-American Film Festival Miller Printing ~ printer, W. Gallup ~ artist 1969 Poster has small squares overall with various drawings of people in them. Some of the drawings are faces of women in profile, faces of men in profile and a gun. Top center has "Afro-American Film...	work on paper poster Vision Works Co ~ printer c. 1972 Poster has a photograph of Angela Davis riding a light colored horse. In the background are green trees. The bottom edge has "don't let those silly fascists pluck at your nerves... smile and know...
Fuck Officework Virtue Hathaway ~ artist 1972 Poster has ornate border with cherubs in corners. Top of poster has the text: " Fuck Officework". Below is a drawing of a woman with long flowing hair, cluching a hammer. Below the female figure...	Cat Mother in a benefit dance for Soledad Brothers legal defense Virgo Grafix ~ artist 1971 Small poster with a drawing of a fist raised holding a microphone in the center. Behind the fist are tall buildings with chimneys and smoke. The bottom of the poster reads, "Cat Mother in a...
Survival! 2nd [second] american artists congress Virgina J. Mason ~ artist 1975 Poster has a silver background with black text. Down the center is a jagged black line. The poster has large bold text that reads, "art/ arti/ artis/artist/ artists/ Survival!/ 2nd american...	Festival de los teatros chicanos: San Jose State University Up Press ~ printer c. 1970 Poster is printed on yellow paper with black text. The top center has an image of three skulls inside a circle and v-shaped black and red pattern. Below the poster reads, "festival de los teatros...
Yaqui housing Tucson Community Development Design Center ~ workshop 1980 Poster has a drawing at the top of two people laying a light blue brick wall. Behind them are brown hills with green cacti and white houses. The bottom of the poster reads, "Nawem Moutoha ian lau...	Kiss For Peace Tomi Ungerer ~ artist 1967 Upper right corner of poster has a white background with green text: "Kiss For Peace". The rest of the poster has a black background and a stylized drawing. On the left side a figure with the head...
Paul Robeson Tomas Belsky ~ artist c. 1976 Poster is printed on brown paper. In the center is a drawing of Paul Robeson's head with a red scarf around his neck. The poster reads across the top in black lettering, "Paul Robeson/ April 9,...	Viva! Carlos Cortez: A Steady Wobbly: Presente! Tomas Belsky ~ artist 2006 Poster has a large white border with a black and red image in the center. There is a man with a hat and long moustache and glasses in black and white. Behind him is a red background. Around the...
Eat Tomi Ungerer ~ artist 1967 Poster has a black background with a yellow head in the center with its mouth open. The mouth has a hand stuffing the Statue of Liberty into it. The arm for the hand has "Eat" in large red...	Solidaridad con el Pueblo de America Central [Solidarity with the people of Central America] Tomas Belsky ~ artist c. 1978 Poster has a center image of a red oval with two hands grasping in the center. Around the edge of the oval is "Solidaridad con el Pueblo" in black. Below the circle is "de America Central" in...
The Davis Magic Theater Presents Country Joe & The Fish: Blue Cheer Berkeley Free Press, Tom Weller ~ artist 1967 Poster has a green background with pink outlined text and images. In the center is a carafe and three wine glasses with two theater happy and sad masks. The poster reads, "The Davis Magic...	The Cockettes Todd Trexler ~ artist 1970 Poster has a large orange circle in the center with a black and white drawing of a man and woman embracing. Their clothes are torn and shredded at the bottom. The man is wearing a necklace of a...
Changes Tom Cervenak ~ artist, Tom Connell ~ artist 1967 Poster has a turquoise border with pink stars and pattern. In the center are various images of people and things. Poster depicts figures such as, Einstein, The Beatles, a car, a peacock, and...	Free Silkscreen Classes at Mission Grafica Tirso Gonzalez ~ artist c. 1984 Poster has a light grey with blue splatter background. In he center are three men using a large screenprinter. The top has "Free" in tan letters. The left side has an area of light blue with "...