Activism

Kwanzaa: Celebrating More Than 7 Principles

Some people think of Kwanzaa as an alternative to Christmas, referring to it as Black Christmas. Karenga writes that Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, but one that is cultural “with an inherent spiritual quality. Thus, Africans of all faiths can and do celebrate Kwanzaa.” This, Karenga says, includes Muslims, Christians, Black Hebrews, Jews, Buddhists, Baháʼí, and Hindus, as well as those who follow the ancient traditions of Maat, Yoruba, Ashanti, Dogon.

Published

3 years ago

December 22, 2021

Oakland Post

A typical Kwanzaa altar features a mat, fruits and vegetables as well as a kinara, or candleholder and mishumaa saba, the seven candles representing the principles of Kwanzaa that are lit each day from December 26 to January 1. Photo courtesy of iStock.

By Tamara Shiloh

Millions of people worldwide participate in Kwanzaa, celebrated from December 26 to January 1. Modeled after traditional African harvest festivals, the name of this holiday was borrowed from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning “first fruits.”

More than 2,000 languages are spoken in Africa. Swahili is one of its more unifying languages, spoken by millions on the continent.

Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga, activist and American professor of Africana studies, created the pan-African holiday. He did so as a way of uniting and empowering the Black community in the aftermath of the Watts Rebellion, or the Watts Riots, which broke out on Aug. 11, 1965, in Los Angeles.

Prompted by a Black man’s altercation with police, the riots lasted six days, leaving 34 dead, 1,032 injured. There were 4,000 arrests and more than 1,000 buildings destroyed, totaling $40 million in damages.

The first celebration was held in 1966. Seven children attended, each representing a letter in the word Kwanzaa, hence Karenga’s addition of the letter ‘a’ to the traditional Swahili spelling of kwanza.

Kwanzaa, modeled after the first harvest celebrations in Africa, is rooted in African culture. However, people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds are welcome to join in the celebration of its principles.

Part of the tradition is gift-giving on the last day. Because the holiday is a celebration of spiritual qualities and not commercialization, handmade or educational gifts, such as books, puzzles, or culturally themed items, are encouraged.

Activities held throughout the week embrace five central values: ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration. From these, one of the seven principles, or nguzo saba, are celebrated each day: umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), and imani (faith).

The mishumaa saba (seven candles) are set in candleholder called a kinara. The candles boast the colors of the pan-African flag designed by Marcus Garvey: black for the people, red for the noble blood that unites all people of African ancestry, and green for the rich land of Africa. The lone black candle stands for unity. The three green candles represent the future, and three red candles represent the struggle out of slavery. Each night one candle on the Kinara is lit in honor of the day’s principle.

Although Kwanzaa is not widely celebrated in Africa, it is publicly acknowledged in the Caribbean as well as other cities where there are large numbers of descendants of Africans such as London, Paris, and Toronto. Such a prideful event honoring family, culture, and heritage should be reflected upon year-round.

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Activism

Remembering George Floyd

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

Published

6 days ago

June 2, 2025

Oakland Post

Mural showing the portrait of George Floyd in Mauerpark in Berlin. To the left of the portrait the lettering "I can't Breathe" was added, on the right side the three hashtags #GeorgeFloyd, #Icantbreathe and #Sayhisname. The mural was completed by Eme Street Art (facebook name) / Eme Free Thinker (signature) on 29 May 2020. (Wikimedia Commons)

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire

“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.

The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”

In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.