Opinion, Commentary, Editorials
Why Atricen Am ricen
celebrate Kwanzaa
By
From December 26-
January 1, many within the
African American com
munity will celebrate Kwan
zaa. Created by the brilliant
theoretician and leader Dr.
Maulana Karenga in the late
sixties, Kwanzaa, which
means first fruits, is'pat
terned after the tr ditional
harvest celebrations in tradi
tional African ociety,
Based on Karenga's theory
of Kawaida, the doctrine of
tr dition and rea on, each of
the seven days of Kwanzaa is
centered around one of tile
principles of the Nguzo Saba
- The Seven Principles of
the Black Value System:
UMOJA Unity;
Kujichagulia - Self-Deter
mination;
UJIMA - Collective
Work and Responsibility;
UJAMAA - Cooperative
Economics;
IA - Purpose;
KUUMBA - Cre a tivity
and,
IMA I - Faith.
KW ZAA IS A
authentic African Americ n
inspired and created holiday.
After more than two decade
since its inception, Kwanzaa
is celebrated by someone,
omewhere in virtually every
African American com
munity in tbis country.
There are television
reports about Kwanzaa and
the most popular African
American magazines uch as
E sence, Ebony and Jet no
regularly run feature torie
on Kwanzaa.
This is indeed a po itive
success story aristng out of
the Black Liberation Move
ment of the 60's cl 70's.
Despi te Kwanzaa's ap
parent success, however, tbe
holiday is still only
celebrated by a minority in
the African American com
munity.
Most Black folk kind of
know about it, but it i cer
fainly not a holiday which is
deeply ingrained in the con
sciousness and practice of
the majority of African
Americans yet.
SOME PEOPLE mis
takenly see Kwanzaa a
"Black Christmas" and other
see it as a ubs t it ure for
Christma . In fact Kwanzaa
is not Black Christma and it
is not a substitute for
Christmas.' Black people can
celebrate Chri tma and
K aDZla.
Kw ozaa, however, as an
African American holiday i
exclusively devoted to the
celebration of ourselve as
African people. our hi tory
and culture." It is centered
around a et of principle -
Unity, Self-Determin tion,
Collecrive Work and Respon-
ibility,· Cooperative
Economics, Purpose, Crea
tive and Farth which African
Americans need to ·Iearn,
study and practice for our
collective survival and
development as a people.
As Dr. Kareng has saidso
many times, "culture i the
key crisis in Black life".
AFRICAN
AMERICANS, by and large.
still lack knowledge of self
and kind. We are tiJl af
Ilicted by an in idious self
hatred rooted in the legacy of
lavery, Ruro-ccnrric "mi -
education" cultural aggres-
ion nd the persistence of
racism and white domination
a a continuing reality of
American culture and life.
MlCmCAN CITIZEN
P 5
ould
Our lack 0 serious and un
!'F.lenting dev tion of self and
ind - the A rican American
nd pan-afric n family - i a
major impe iment to our
progres as a eople.
African American
)idays, the efore, are im
perative, for hey allow us to
focus on ou elve and our
laberation· r a change.
Kwanzaa is esigned to be
ju t such an occasion. And
though it has a eriou pur
po e, Kwanz a need not be
dull and drab
Indeed, in keeping with
our tradition I and popular
culture, Kw zaa should be
colorful, festi e and a ource
As Dr.
Karen
said s many
times,
I cultu
he ke cri is
in Bla k life".
Ron
Daniel.
VANTAGE
POINT
both informatio , inspiration
and celebration.
But most of
hould commi
African Ameri
build and sustai viable cul
tural, education I, economic
and political ilnstitution
dedicated to our evelopment
and progre unl ss we fir t
affirm our elve .
We must e brace the
propo ition that Afric n
in America, we ust be the
primary agents f our own
liberatin. That's hy African
American should celebrate
Kwanzaa.
Ron Daniels serves as
Pre ident of the Institute for
. Community Organization and
4....- ...._ .....J Development in Young town,
Ohio. He may be contacted at
(216) 746-5747.
of comfort
Kwanzaa
provide
I. • I. -:
This W�ek·ln Black History
December 16·22
DEC �MUER 16, 1848 -
Lewis Temple invented a har
poon important to whaling in
dustry. 1976 - Andrew
Young became U.S. delegate
to United Nations.
What is the name of the
composition which made
Scott Joplin famous as a rag-
time composer? .
DECEMBER 17, The
General Daniel (Chappie)
James Aerospace Science
Center was planned for Tus
kegee University. 1802 -
Henry Adams, teacher and
minister, wa born. 1920 -
Hobart Taylor. Jr., governcnt
ottrciat. Tc ar nat Te x.,
born.
D • BER 1 , 1900
Charles Graves presid nt of
a mim ng company, became
first Black millionaire. 1971
Rev. Yes e Jack on
founded People United 0
S ve Humanity (PUSH).
1930 - Be nj min Holman,
writer, Columbia, SC., was
born.
How many Black troops
served in World War II?
DECEMBER 19, 1955 -
Ray Robinson beat Bobo
Olson to become mid-
dlewcight champ. 1875 -
Carter G. Woodson, founder
of Black History Week, was
born. .
Which religious group
urged the public to boycott
products made by slave« in
17877 .
DECEMBER 20, 1923 -
Blue Inger Bessie Smith
beginned her recording
career. 1860 South
Ca ro I ina seceded fro m
Union, leading to the Civil
War. 1935 - William J. Wil
son, sociologist. Derry
Town hip, Pa., was born.
Who was the commander
of the 99th Pursuit' Squadron
in World War II?
DECErdBER 21, 1865 -
Thirteenth Amendment
prohibiting slavery ratified.
1911 - Josh Gib on, Negro
leagues star, was born.
How many home runs did
Willie Mays hit in his first six
games in 1964?
DECEMBER 22, 1987 -
The Black Co n gre ional
Caucu numbered 23. 1823
- Thomas Wentworth Hig
ginson commanded Black
soldiers In the Civil War, was
born. 1 83 - Arthur W.
Mitchell, U.S. Congressman
(IL), Chamber County, AI.,
was born.
Which state ruled first, by
legislative flat, tha: Black in
dentured servants should
remain slaves for life?
AS TO
BLACK ISTORY
QUES IONS
r 16-22
18th - More than 920,000
Black servicemen.
19th - The Society of
Friends - Quaker.
20th - Benjamin O.
Davis, Jr.
21st - Six (6)
22nd - Virginia in 1760