The African American community and others are preparing for Kwanzaa, a celebration of Black culture today through Sunday.
Though there is no local event gathering as in the past, members of the Columbus/Bartholomew County Chapter of the NAACP wanted to remind residents of the significance of the holiday.
Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, activist and professor of African Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Karenga created the African American holiday after the 1966 Watts riots as a way for the community to unite and celebrate its ties to the continent of Africa. Kwanzaa was inspired by the “first fruits” celebrations held across the southern African countries.
One purpose of creating Kwanzaa was to introduce and reinforce its seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Each principle is celebrated for one day in the week-long period.
One of the best ways to show support is through the principle of cooperative economics, which means supporting a black-owned business or making a donation to an African American charity.
