The purpose of this oral history collection is to document and preserve the life histories of veteran members of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army. By sharing about their lives and experiences in political organizing, narrators will contribute to a collective memory and reflect on the similarities and differences in the landscape today and how they have remained committed to movement work over decades.

This collection of oral histories was conducted by oral historian Dartricia Rollins on behalf of Community Movement Builders, a member-based collective of Black people creating sustainable, self-determining communities through cooperative economic advancement and collective community organizing.

The name of the collection, "notes from the black underground," was inspired by Dartricia's comrade, Damion Scott.