For the river in Angola, see Cuanza River. For the currency, see Angolan kwanza. For the album by Albert Heath, see Kwanza (The First).
Kwanzaa
Seven candles in a kinara symbolize the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Observed by
African Americans, parts of African diaspora
Type
Cultural and ethnic
Significance
Celebrates African heritage, unity, and culture
Celebrations
Unity
Creativity
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Giving gifts
Date
December 26 to January 1
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Kwanzaa (/ˈkwɑːn.zə/) 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 and Southeast Africa. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966. 21st century estimates of how many Americans celebrate Kwanzaa are varied, from as few as a half a million to as many as 12 million.[2]
In a 2019 poll by the National Retail Federation, 2.6 percent of people who planned to celebrate a winter holiday said they would celebrate Kwanzaa.[3]
^"Why Kwanzaa Video". Maulana Karenga. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
^
Amy McKeever (December 22, 2020). "Kwanzaa celebrates African-American heritage. Here's how it came to be—and what it means today". National Geographic. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
^"From Umoja to Imani, Kwanzaa has 'won the hearts and minds of African people around the world". USA Today.
Kwanzaa (/ˈkwɑːn.zə/) is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu...
known as the creator of the pan-African and African-American holiday of Kwanzaa. Born in Parsonsburg, Maryland, to an African-American family, Karenga...
"A Rugrats Kwanzaa" is a television special from the American animated television series Rugrats. It is the 13th episode of the seventh season, and the...
Retrieved 2006-12-15. Kwanzaa celebrates culture, principles Archived July 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Mayes, Keith A. (2009). Kwanzaa: Black Power and...
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religious observance as well as ethnic holidays, such as Saint Patrick's Day, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Mardi Gras, and Cinco de Mayo, as a matter of best practice. While...
The kinara is a seven-branched candleholder used in Kwanzaa celebrations in the United States. Shortly before the first celebration in 1966, Maulana Karenga...
television series Futurama, Coolio voiced Kwanzaa-bot, a rapping robot who spreads awareness about Kwanzaa. His first appearance was in the 2001 episode...
search of beeswax, in order to create traditional beeswax candles for Kwanzaa. Each segment features recurring elements, including an environmental theme...
structure Film Folktales Hair Harlem Renaissance New Negro Hoodoo Juneteenth Kwanzaa LGBT community Literature Music Musical theater Names Negro National Anthem...
Elisha Wiesel joined to host 15 Days of Light, celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanzaa in a unifying holiday ceremony at Carnegie Hall. Adams said: "social media...
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, and Elisha Wiesel joined to celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanzaa together, and combat racism and antisemitism, at Carnegie Hall. Judaism...
Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 20....
Celebrations Martin Luther King Jr. Day Black History Month Juneteenth Kwanzaa Economic class African-American businesses Middle class Upper class Billionaires...
and three Emmy Awards. In December 2008, Entertainment Weekly listed the Kwanzaa episode from this show as seventh on the magazine's "Must List: 10 Holiday...
Hanukkah from the evil son of Santa Claus, who wants to destroy Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and make everyone celebrate Christmas. The film parodies blaxploitation...
Celebrations Martin Luther King Jr. Day Black History Month Juneteenth Kwanzaa Economic class African-American businesses Middle class Upper class Billionaires...
Movement Black is beautiful Black power movement Black Power Revolution Kwanzaa Raised fist events of 1968 and 1972 Ideologies African socialism Africana...
by Kevin Michael Richardson. Rapper Coolio, who provided his voice for Kwanzaa-Bot in three previous episodes, died on September 28, 2022. Two days after...
Elisha Wiesel joined to host 15 Days of Light, celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanzaa in a unifying holiday ceremony at Carnegie Hall. Sharpton said: "There...
Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. pp. 169–170...
will shake slightly. "christmas( see it )", "hanukkah( see it )", and "kwanzaa( see it )" will show decorations next to the search bar for each respective...
holiday-themed episode "Seven Days of Kwanzaa", he implied Kwanzaa as the "true meaning of [December]", and he stated that "Kwanzaa is about someone leading a purposeful...