A Beginner’s Guide to Kwanzaa

December 29, 2025

Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration of African culture and community that runs from December 26 through January 1, created by scholar Maulana Karenga in 1966 during the civil rights era following the Watts Riots. The secular holiday centers around seven principles called Nguzo Saba, with a different principle honored each day through candle lighting ceremonies using a kinara, along with music, storytelling, and cultural activities. Currently celebrated by approximately 3% of Americans according to 2019 data, the holiday aims to reconnect Black communities with African traditions disrupted by slavery while promoting unity and self-determination.

Who is affected

African Americans and people of African descent in the United States
People of African descent in other countries with large African descendant populations
The 3% of the U.S. population who celebrate Kwanzaa (based on 2019 AP-NORC survey data)
Children, who are a central focus of the celebrations
Communities in cities including Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Detroit that host large events
The Elegba Folklore Society in Richmond, Virginia
Maulana Karenga (the holiday's founder)

What action is being taken

Kwanzaa is being observed in large, city-sponsored events as well as in smaller communities and homes across the nation
People are lighting candles on the kinara each night
Large celebrations are happening across the country featuring storytellers, music, and dance
Families are giving gifts and sharing African American and Pan African foods
Activities including dancing, reading poetry, honoring ancestors, and daily candle lighting ceremonies are taking place

Why it matters

Kwanzaa serves as a crucial tool for reconnecting Black communities in the United States with African cultural traditions that were severed by the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The holiday promotes unity, self-determination, and liberation while providing spaces where African and African-descended people can feel "fully African and fully human at the same time." It emerged from the Black Freedom Movement of the 1960s as both a cultural celebration and a political motivator, reinforcing community bonds and resistance to oppression. The holiday's emphasis on seven core principles and focus on children ensures cultural continuity and community development for future generations.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint