A Collection of Leftist Political Posters, 1960-2010

Cuba, OSPAAAL (Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, and Latin America), 1971 and 1972

Extensive and Culturally Significant Archive of Approximately 500 Political Posters. An important, unique, and carefully curated collection of political posters, dated from approximately the 1960s to the 2000s, from a wide variety of leftist and militant groups in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, related to a broad range of domestic and international movements and issues, providing an essential overview of the global political climate at the time with regards to radicalism, solidarity, and liberation. Some with scattered soiling, marginal tears, tack holes, and other minor losses, overall excellent condition. Various sizes. Various cities, 1960s-2000s.

France, MRI (Mouvement Revolutionaire Internationaliste), 1980s

This collection documents a vital period in the history of both Western Europe and Third World countries in the second half of the 20th century, a time of political upheaval, domestic terrorism, radical left-wing groups, and liberation movements. The posters that make up this collection can be roughly divided into three categories. First, a large number of the posters document the struggle of the militant left at home within Europe, with movements from Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Ireland covered including Antifaschistische Aktion, RAF (Red Army Faction), RZ (Revolutionäre Zellen), Secours Rouge, CCC (Cellules Communistes Combattantes), CPN (Communist Party of the Netherlands), Kraakbeweging, RVF (Rood Verzetsfront), AFAPP (Asociación de Familiares y Amigos de Presos Politicos), Moviment de Defensa de la Terra, FRAP (Frente Revolucionario Antifascista y Patriota), Circolo Lenin Catania, Sinn Féin, and the Irish Republican Army. These posters cover a range of issues, including the treatment of political prisoners, hunger strikes, anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, anti-NATO, urban development, housing shortages, squatters, election reform, the women’s movement, and the labor movement.

Netherlands, Communistische Partij van Nederland, Circa 1965

Ireland, Irish Republican Movement, Circa 1980

Germany, Autonomen Gruppen/Antifaschistische Aktion/RZ (Revolutionäre Zellen), 1984

A second large group demonstrates the solidarity of Western European groups for the assorted liberation movements and uprisings happening across the Third World. These include posters from CISNU (Confederation of Iranian Students National Union), Chili Komitee Nederland, Komitee Jongeren Voor Vietnam, MPLA (People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola), Inlichtingen Angola-Comité, Palestina Komitee, Solidariteits Komitee Argentinie Nederland, UJPA Belgique (Union des Jeunes Progressistes Arabes), Collectif Pour la Libération de Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, Comité Catalá de Solidaritat Internacionalista, Asociacion de Amistad y Solidaridad con El Pueblo Saharui, Halkin Kurtulusu, MPP (Mouvement Populaire Perou), Association de Solidarité avec Timor Oriental, and MRI (Mouvement Revolutionaire Internationaliste).

Netherlands, Palestijnse Vereniging, 1976

Spain, Circa 1980s

Netherlands, MPLA (People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola), Circa 1975

Netherlands, Vietnambeweging Delft, Circa 1973

Lastly, the third group of posters represents the political climate within the Third World countries themselves, including organizations such as the Cuban group OSPAAAL (Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, and Latin America), FMLN from El Salvador (Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front), Partido Comunista del Peru, ASALA (Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia), FATAH (Palestinian National Liberation Movement), PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization), PFLP (People’s Liberation Front of Palestine), GUPW (General Union of Palestinian Women), PKK (Kurdistan Worker’s Party), YJWK (Patriotic Women’s Union of Kurdistan), ERNK (National Liberation Front of Kurdistan), and YAJK (Free Women’s Army of Kurdistan).