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

Harriet Tubman Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1980 Small poster has a black and white mottled background with a drawing of Harriet Tubman sheilding a young boy. In her hand is a long rifle. Across the top is "Harriet Tubman" in large black letters...	Women: Confront the U.S. War Machine! Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist 1979 Poster has a black and white drawing of two woment yelling at two male police officers. In the background are cars, trucks, and barbed wire. The poster reads in black, "Women: Confront the U.S....
Build a Wall of Resistance: Don't let the KKK march in S.F. Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1984 Poster has a drawing of three skeletons wearing klan costumes in front of an outline of San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge is visible above the city in red. Below is a red brick wall being...	Benjamin Moloise Lives! Death to Apartheid/Colonialism! Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1985 Poster has a yellow and black photograph in the center of Mamike Moloise singing and raising her arm in the black power salute. She has on glasses and a head scarf. The top and bottom borders are...
Stop the Death Squads in El Salvador and Los Angeles Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1987 Poster has a blue background in the upper area with a white outline of the United States Capital building. In front of the building is a line of soldiers holding guns in black and blue. The...	Down with the Chilean Dictatorship! Support the Popular Resistance! Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1974 Poster is printed on yellow paper with dark red ink. The top right has an image of a tank with a skull and crossbones in the gun, a United States flag and "Pinochet" along the wheel base. Above...
Down with the Chilean Dictatorship! Support the Popular Resistance! Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist 1983 Poster is printed on grey paper with black images and red lettering. The top right has an image of a tank with a skull and crossbones in the gun, a United States flag and "Pinochet" along the...	Urgent : Say No To Political Internment Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1979 Poster is printed on orange paper with blue ink. The center has an image of Puerto Rican flag with an eagle holding a gavel above it. The poster reads from top to bottom, "Urgent say no to...
Si Nicaragua Vencio, El Salvador Vencera! [Since Nicaragua could win, El Salvador will win!] Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1975 Poster has a background of black and white speckles. In the center is an image of three male figures wearing hats and bandannas over their faces. Above the image printed in red is "Si Nicaragua...	No! U.S. Out of Grenada : Defeat U.S. Imperialism Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c.1970 Poster has a large black and white eagle holding onto an outline of Grenada with its talons. There is red blood coming from the talons that are piercing the country. Printed over the eagle in red...
U.S. Out of Central America! Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1985 Poster is printed on light yellow paper with green ink. The top center has an image of a soldier with a mean expression on his face running and holding a smoking gun. Around the soldier are tanks...	For an End to U.S. Intervention : Resist the Warmakers Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1980 Poster has a turquoise blue background with a black outlined image of an angry general with stars and United States flag on his lapel. The poster reads in white, "For an end to U.S. intervention...
Si Nicaragua Vencio, El Salvador Vencera! [Since Nicaragua could win, El Salvador will win!] Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c. 1984 Small square poster with a dotted tan background that has three male figures with hats and bandannas on. Above them printed in blue is "Si Nicaragua vencio El Salvador Vencera!"	Stop the arms shipments: Stop the war Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist c.1987 Poster is printed on light yellow paper with black text and and images. In the center is a train traveling on a track. Across the track are several red splotches. The top edge has "Stop the arms...
Si Nicaragua Vencio, El Salvador Vencera! [Since Nicaragua could win, El Salvador will win!] Fireworks Graphics Collective ~ artist 1984 Poster has a dotted gray background with three male figures at the bottom wearing hats and bandannas over their faces. The top edge has purple printing that reads, "Si Nicaragua vencio el...	Incredibly Strange Wrestling [concert] Firehouse Kustom Rockart Company ~ artist 1997 The top edge of the poster has the text: "Viva Testosterone Triumphantly Presents / Incredibly Strange Wrestling". Below is a drawing of four male figures dressed as Lucha Libre wrestlers. They...
Remember Viet Nam: Stop the Air War fireworks ~ artist c. 1984 Poster is printed on light yellow paper and has an image in the background of four airplanes with smoke rising up behind them. The top of the poster has "Remember Viet Nam U.S. planes are...	Serigrafia Chicana: Centro Cultural, La mision de San Francisco California Fernando Fernandez ~ artist, Manuel Velazquez ~ artist c. 1980 Poster has a red and green triangle border. In the center is a bird with green and red floral designs on its body holding a squeegee blade. Below is "Serigrafia Chicana/ Centro cultural./ La...
Being a cop is more than just a gig. Detroit Police Recruiting Fifth Estate Newspapers, Inc. ~ publisher 1971 Poster has a black and white photograph at the top of a man being escorted by two police officers in riot gear. The man has a bloody head and blood stains on his shirt. Below the poster has "Being...	Van Troi: Heroismo en el Combate y en el Trabajo [Van Troi: Heroism in combat and in work] Felix Ren_ Mederos Pazos ~ artist 1969 Poster has a stylized drawing of a human face in yellow, blue, and black overall. The top of the poster has the text: "Van Troi / Heroismo en el Combate y en el Trabajo /15 De Octubre De 1969...
Seremos Reivindicados por la Historia [ We will be absolved by history - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg] Felix Beltran ~ artist 1975 Poster has a black background with two large red heads at the bottom. The head on the left is a woman and on the right is a man. The poster reads in white, "Seremos Reivindicados por la Historia/...	University labor anti-war teach-in Everdell ~ artist 1971 Poster has a black and white drawing at the top of a chute labeled "high school" dumping figures into a sectioned box labeled with stereotypes. The G.I. section is the fullest. Above the box is "...
(Malcom X face) Ernest W. Chambers ~ artist 1968 Poster has a black and white drawing of Malcolm X's face. He is wearing glasses and has a beard. Only the face is drawn, no hair is visible.	Raza Day 80 [1980]: U.C. Berkeley Ernesto Guerrero ~ artist 1980 Poster has a light blue dotted background with a black and white drawing of a tower on the right. The top has two green, white and red banners that have white text. The top banner reads, "La Union...