Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa
7 candles in a kinara symbolize the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Observed byAfrican Americans, parts of the African diaspora
TypeCultural and ethnic
SignificanceCelebrates African heritage, unity, and culture
Celebrations
  • Unity
  • Creativity
  • Faith
  • Giving gifts
DateDecember 26 to January 1
Related toPan-Africanism

Kwanzaa (/ˈkwɑːnzə/) is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day.[1] It was created by activist Maulana Karenga based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West, East, as well as Southeast Africa. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966. Twenty-first-century estimates place the number of Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa between 500,000 and 2,000,000.[2]

  1. ^ "Why Kwanzaa Video". Maulana Karenga. November 2008. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Scott2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).