An oral history and critical genealogy of ampampquotaccountabilityampampquot the complex abolitionist concept that pushes us to ask just what do we mean by ampampquotcommunityampampquot A concept just short of a program accountability has been taken up as a core principle within leftist organizing and activity over the past quarter century. While it invokes a particular vocabulary and set of procedures it has also come to describe a more expansive if often vague approach to addressing harm within movement work. The terms sudden widespread adoption as abolitionist concepts began to circulate broadly in recent years cast light on certain shifts in its meaning renewing the urgency of understanding its relation to militant leftist history and practice.