Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a holiday created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 to help African Americans celebrate their roots. It is based around the harvest celebrations of the Ashanti and Zulu tribes. Use Kwanzaa…

Kwanzaa is an annual celebration for people of African descent that takes place between December 26th and January 1st. On each day of the celebration, a different principle of the Nguzo Saba is…

Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration of community from December 26 through January 1. Whether you want to celebrate Kwanzaa in your own home or teach a classroom full of students about this…

Kwanzaa is a holiday rooted in ancient African celebrations that occurs from December 26 to January 1 each year. Kwanzaa is a nonreligious holiday established in 1966 for African-Americans to…

Kwanzaa candles play a central and symbolic role in the African American holiday. Each of the seven candles and corresponding colors symbolizes the seven days of the festival's tradition, its people,…

Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 to January 1 every year, primarily in the United States. It commemorates and honors African American culture. Similar to Hanukkah, red, black or green candles…

Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday that celebrates culture, community and family. It spans seven days, beginning on December 26. Although it is a relatively new holiday, Kwanzaa's roots can be…

Kwanzaa is celebrated by African-Americans, as well as other African descendants all over the world. It takes place just before the new year. Kwanzaa is a time of reflection and celebration for one's…

When Kwanzaa was first being celebrated by African-Americans, its celebrants felt that it would violate the basic idea of the holiday to celebrate it along side any other holiday, such as Christmas,…

A good luck hand is a traditional symbol of power, strength and good luck. The colors, green, black and red represent African culture. Make your own good luck hand and hang it on the door to celebrate…

This chant is one of the most popular activities for Kwanzaa. Learn about the traditions of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on African-American culture.

Kwanzaa ritual drinks or libations are shared among participants. Learn about the principles of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on African-American culture.

Kwanzaa was not created to replace Christmas. Learn about the myths and misconceptions of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on African-American culture.

The Kwanzaa principle of Ujamaa focuses on building community businesses together. Learn about the principles of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on African-American…

The Kwanzaa principle of Nia focuses on community pride. Learn about the principles of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on African-American culture.

The Kwanzaa principle of Imani focuses on faith and righteousness. Learn about the principles of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on African-American culture.

The Kwanzaa principle of Kuumba focuses on creativity. Learn about the principles of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on African-American culture.

The Kwanzaa principle of Kujichagulia focuses on self-identity and self-determination. Learn about the principles of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on…

The Kwanzaa principle of umoja focuses on unity of community, nation and race. Learn about the principles of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an authority on African-American…

The Kwanzaa principle of Ujima focuses on keeping communities together with collective work and responsibility. Learn about the principles of Kwanzaa in this free holiday celebration video from an…

Candles and foods for Kwanzaa. Learn about the significance of Kwanzaa symbols in this free holiday history video.

A holiday to celebrate African-American cultural heritage. Learn how this holiday got started in this free holiday history video.

When you are trying to explain the meaning of Kwanzaa, be careful not to describe the African tradition as a religious or political celebration. When it was created, it was not meant to replace…

Kujichagulia is defined as self-determination by African-Americans and others of African descent during the Kwanzaa holiday. Self-determination allows people to act and speak independently on a…

Ujima is defined as the idea of a culture of collective work and responsibility. Realizing that members of a community must all be working for the common good to achieve happiness and satisfaction is…

Nia, which is observed during the fifth day of Kwanzaa, is defined as purpose. You can obtain purpose in life by serving others in a variety of ways. This was essential to the teachings of Dr. Martin…

Ujamaa, practiced on the fourth day of Kwanzaa, is defined during Kwanzaa as "cooperative economics." Cooperative economics offers everyone a fair and equal chance to work and enjoy life through…

Choosing which songs to sing during Kwanzaa can be a difficult task. People have different tastes and different ideas of what constitutes the perfect Kwanzaa song, so it makes sense to pick different…

If you're planning a large Kwanzaa celebration, chances are music, performances and dance will be an important part of it. Whether you're celebrating at home or attending a public service, you may be…

How you decide to dress for Kwanzaa depends on the type of activity you're doing, where you're going and how involved you are in the history and culture of Africa. Whether you feel comfortable wearing…

Whether you're a teacher or a parent, coloring pages are a great way to get very young kids involved in celebrating Kwanzaa. Children who are too young to understand the stories and history behind the…

The Bendera (Bendera Ya Taifa) is the traditional Kwanzaa flag, symbolized by black, red and green colors. Designated to represent the struggle of the people, the black represents the people…

Candles are essential to the celebration of Kwanzaa. The Kwanzaa set, which also becomes a centerpiece during the last night of Kwanzaa celebrations, requires seven candles: one black, three red and…

Kwanzaa is a week long celebration of African-American culture which begins on December 26th. On December 31st, the last day of Kwanzaa, a large meal is enjoyed. One popular dish is fried plantains.…

Akara is the name given to a fritter made out of black-eyed peas, and which are a popular snack in different parts of Africa, especially Nigeria. It is often used as an appetizer here in the United…

Collard greens are a basic vegetable that fits in perfectly to your Kwanzaa feast plans. Collard greens are grown in Africa so they are certainly a traditional food in keeping with Kwanzaa ideals. In…

Wether you are looking to host a vegetarian Kwanzaa feast or just create something tasty for those on your guest list who may be vegetarian, this African stew is a winning idea. It ebodies the…

Jollof rice is a perfect dish for your Kwanzaa meal. It is a popular African dish which can easily be customized to include the type of vegetables currently being harvested at the time. Maya Angelou…

The kinara, one of the seven symbols of Kwanzaa, represents previous generations of Africans, the root from which African-Americans sprung. The seven candles in the kinara represent the holiday's…

Celebrate the closing of Kwanzaa with your family and friends by hosting karamu, a special feast traditionally held on December 31.

Celebrate the Kwanzaa principle of unity by creating a family cookbook.

Pouring libation (Tambiko) from the Unity Cup is an integral part of the Kwanzaa celebration. Here's how the ceremony is performed.

The first Kwanzaa was held less than 35 years ago, and a lot of families are celebrating for the first time. This pronunciation and definition key will help new celebrants connect with the Swahili…