“If we don’t know about the culture, Kwanzaa educates us. If we forget our culture, Kwanzaa reminds us,” said Rev. Mark Thompson, who celebrates the cultural holiday.
Every year, from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, millions of Black people across the United States and parts of the African diaspora observe Kwanzaa — a celebration of family, community, and culture. Born in the midst of the Black Power movement of the 1960s, Kwanzaa is a weeklong holiday of a cultural rather than religious nature. And while the holiday has core principles, values and symbols, families have formed their own traditions and rituals around Kwanzaa.
Maulana Karenga, an Africana Studies professor, founded Kwanzaa in 1966 in the wake of the Watts uprising. The word “Kwanzaa” comes from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, or “first fruits of the harvest.” The celebration reflects the harvest festivals of people on the African continent. Read more.
