For generations, Kwanzaa has been a globally celebrated holiday. It is a time of great joy and reflection that unites African American individuals over a period of seven days. Kwanzaa embodies and pays tribute to the significant customs of African heritage.

Kwanzaa, created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, is celebrated from the twenty sixth of December to the fi rst of January. According to Oprah Winfrey’s magazine, the holiday observes multiple traditions, such as lighting the Kinara candles, which are black, red, and green. Sharing a feast with loved ones is another popular custom. Honoring ancestors is a crucial aspect of Kwanzaa, which is something often done by pouring libations into the unity cup for those who have paved the way for the living (oprahdaily.com).

According to a website about Kwanzaa, “During the week of Kwanzaa, families and communities come together to share a feast, honor their ancestors, affirm their bonds, and celebrate African and African American culture.” On each day of Kwanzaa, those who celebrate light a candle to, “…highlight the principle of that day and to breathe meaning into the principles with various activities.” The customary candle-lighting is accompanied with, “…reciting the sayings or writings of great Black thinkers and writers, reciting original poetry, African drumming, and sharing a meal of African diaspora-inspired foods” (nmaahc.si.edu).

There are many events in San Diego that host celebrations for Kwanzaa. The WorldBeat Cultural Center
will be hosting their Forty-third Annual Kwanzaa Celebration during four of the seven days of Kwanzaa. Each night will feature special guest speakers or performers, ceremonial candle lighting and libation with drumming, poetry readings, free heirloom seeds for families, and Karamu (the traditional feast and family “get down”). The first day of the event will take place on December 26, 2023, from 6:30 p.m to 9:00 p.m at the WorldBeat Center, according to the WorldBeat Center’s website (worldbeatcenter.org).

Established to help African Americans reconnect to their cultural and historical backgrounds, Kwanzaa unites the studies of African traditions. The holiday celebrates beliefs such as the seven principles of African heritage, which American Activist and Author Karenga said is a communitarian African philosophy (worldbeatcenter.org).

Kwanzaa was created by Karenga to celebrate and reaffirm family, community, and culture, according to the History Makers website. Karenga is known as an empowering figure in the Black community. He had a large political and intellectual influence starting in the 1950s and 1960s. Karenga has, along with the Organization Us, been instrumental in the following movements and programs: Black Power, Black Arts, Black Studies, the Independent Schools, Afrocentricity, Ancient Egyptian Studies, the Million Person Marches, and the Reparations Movement (thehistorymakers.org).

According to a website that has a transcript of Karenga being interviewed, he said, “Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, not a religious one. It builds on African commonality, not on the religious, political, and other choices we make which often separate us and cause us to focus on difference rather than similarity. In the final analysis, it all depends on personal choice; people choose holidays to celebrate, religions to practice, and philosophies to follow” (beliefnet.com).

Master Sergeant Eric Cole, Marine Instructor of the MCJROTC program, shared his views on Kwanzaa: “I have heard that Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration for African American people’s culture and history. Harvey, my good friend, celebrates Kwanzaa with his family. The holiday itself to me is a celebration of African culture, and Black culture and is to be celebrated together. Kwanzaa is not a holiday myself and my family have committed to, but we make sure to educate our kids on it,” Cole said.

Kwanzaa is celebrated worldwide by many African Americans. The significance of the holiday has a powerful impact on the cultural historical backgrounds that are now celebrated today. The holiday serves as a reminder of the importance of African culture and values that shape the world we live in today.