When was the first Kwanzaa?

Search: kwanzaa

Why: It's the holiday season, which includes:

• Thanksgiving (3rd Thursday in November [in USA])
• Black Friday (the day after American Thanksgiving)
• Hanukkah (b. 25th of Hebrew Calender month Kislev)
• Festivus (Dec. 23)
• Christmas Eve (Dec. 24)
• Christmas Day (Dec. 25)
• Yule (Dec. 25)
• Boxing Day (Dec. 26 in most countries [but not the US])
• New Year's Eve (Dec. 31)
• New Year's Day (Jan. 1)
  
• Epiphany (Jan. 6)

Answer: It was first celebrated from Dec. 26, 1966, to Jan. 1, 1967. Created by activist, professor, and author Ron Karenga, the holiday was intended to "...give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society." (Many black Christians observe both Christmas and Kwanzaa.)

Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: The name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza", meaning "first fruits." Each of the 7 days is dedicated to one of the Seven Principles:

1. Umoja (Unity)
2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
   
3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
   
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)
   
5. Nia (Purpose)
   
6. Kuumba (Creativity)
   
7. Imani (Faith)
   

Each candle in the kinara - 3 red on the left, 3 green on the right, and 1 black in the center - represents one of these principles. A new one is lit each day.

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