By Amaka Watson, Defender, Image: screenshot from article, December 21, 2024
Starting December 26, the seven-night celebration of Kwanzaa begins.
This African-American and Pan-African holiday is celebrated by millions worldwide with the goal to strengthen the values of African heritage and reinforce community among African-Americans.
If you are unfamiliar with this holiday tradition, here is what you need to know about Kwanzaa:
Who created Kwanzaa?
Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University created Kwanzaa in 1966. The word Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza” or “first fruits” referring to the agricultural festival found throughout Africa. It became popular in the 1980s and 1990s in tandem with the black power movement., Dr. Karenga searched for ways to bring unify African Americans. He founded a cultural organization called US and began researching African harvest celebrations. He combined the influences of several different celebrations such as those of the Ashanti tribe in Ghana and Zulu of South Africa.
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