During the activist struggles of the 1960’s, political posters promoting social justice came of age. Posters that combined ideological messages with great art work were commonly stapled or taped to poles or coffee shop walls, and their immediacy worked against the idea that they should be preserved for history as iconic treasures of the time. Fortunately, Berkeley activist Michael Rossman recognized the historic value of these posters and dedicated much of his life to preserving them. And even more fortunately, these posters are now available to be seen and discussed in a new book by Lincoln Cushing, All of Us or None. Many are also displayed at a show curated by Cushing that opened on March 30 at the Oakland Museum. This exhibit also includes a demonstration of the poster-making process. The book and the show reveal the rich history of Bay Area political posters from the 1960’s through today, and deserve the widest possible audience.
