113 Fun Facts About Kwanzaa

Who created Kwanzaa?

Maulana Karenga, an activist and later a professor of Africana studies, created Kwanzaa as a cultural holiday for African Americans rooted in African harvest traditions.

In what year was Kwanzaa first celebrated?

Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966, in Los Angeles, as a week-long holiday for African Americans, and spread nationally over the following decades.

On what date does Kwanzaa begin each year?

Kwanzaa begins on December 26, the day after Christmas, and a different principle is honoured on each of its seven days.

On what date does Kwanzaa end?

Kwanzaa ends on January 1, the seventh day, when the last of the seven candles is lit.

The name Kwanzaa comes from a Swahili phrase, "matunda ya kwanza", meaning what?

"Matunda ya kwanza" means "first fruits"; Karenga modelled Kwanzaa on African first-fruits harvest festivals held around the southern-hemisphere summer solstice.

Why was an extra letter added so the name is spelled "Kwanzaa" rather than "kwanza"?

The extra "a" gives the name a symbolic seven letters, matching the holiday's seven days, seven principles and seven symbols.

What is the Swahili name for the seven principles of Kwanzaa?

Nguzo Saba is Swahili for "seven principles"; Karenga assigned one principle to each of the holiday's seven days.

Which principle, celebrated on the first day, means "unity"?

Umoja, meaning unity, is the first of the seven principles and is honoured on the first day of Kwanzaa.

Which principle stands for "collective work and responsibility"?

Ujima, the third principle, means collective work and responsibility: building the community together and treating its problems as shared problems to solve together.

Which principle refers to "cooperative economics"?

It encourages building and profiting from Black-owned businesses together.

Which Kwanzaa principle means "purpose"?

Nia is about making community-building a collective vocation.

Which principle stands for "creativity"?

It is celebrated on the sixth day, alongside the Karamu feast.

Which principle, marking the final day, means "faith"?

Imani, the seventh principle, means faith: believing in the people, parents, teachers and leaders, and in the righteousness of the struggle.

What is the Kwanzaa candle holder called?

The kinara is the candle holder at the centre of the Kwanzaa table; its candles are known collectively as the Mishumaa Saba.

How many candles does the Kwanzaa candle holder hold?

Seven candles, collectively called the Mishumaa Saba, one for each principle.

What colours are the Kwanzaa candles?

One black candle stands in the centre, with three red candles on one side and three green on the other, the colours of the Pan-African flag.

On the candle holder, what does the single black candle in the middle represent?

The black centre candle represents unity and the people themselves, and it is the first candle lit during the holiday.

The mat on which the other Kwanzaa symbols are placed is called what?

Everything else on the table sits on top of the Mkeka.

What does the Kwanzaa symbol "mazao" refer to?

The crops recall the harvest-festival roots of the holiday.

The Kwanzaa symbol "Mahindi" is corn, placed to represent what?

An ear of corn is often set out for each child in the household.

Which Kwanzaa symbol is used to pour libations in honour of the ancestors?

The unity cup is used to pour a libation for the ancestors, and family members drink from it to symbolise unity.

What does the Kwanzaa term "Zawadi" refer to?

Zawadi are the gifts, usually given to children on the last day of Kwanzaa, often handmade rather than store-bought to avoid commercialism.

The Kwanzaa Karamu is formally the "Feast of" what?

The Karamu is the Feast of Faith, a communal meal that traditionally includes a libation, remembrance of the ancestors and cultural performances.

On which day of Kwanzaa is the Karamu feast usually held?

The Karamu is held on December 31, the sixth day of Kwanzaa, as the communal feast before the final day.

What is the daily Kwanzaa greeting, "Habari Gani?", in Swahili?

"Habari gani?" means "How are you?" or "What's the news?"; during Kwanzaa the reply is the principle of the day, such as "Umoja!"

The black, red and green flag associated with Kwanzaa is known by which Swahili name?

Bendera is Swahili for "flag"; the black, red and green bendera is a supplemental Kwanzaa symbol displayed in the home.

Which historical event's aftermath prompted the creation of Kwanzaa?

The Watts riots of August 1965 in Los Angeles prompted the creation of Kwanzaa as a holiday to unite and empower Black Americans.

Under what birth name was Kwanzaa's creator born in 1941?

Karenga was born Ronald McKinley Everett on July 14, 1941; he adopted the name Maulana Karenga during the 1960s.

Karenga's adopted title "Maulana" means what in Swahili?

"Maulana" is a Swahili title, borrowed from Arabic, meaning "master teacher"; Karenga adopted it together with the surname Karenga in the 1960s.

Besides creating Kwanzaa, Karenga co-founded which Black nationalist group in 1965?

Karenga co-founded the US Organization in Los Angeles in 1965, a cultural Black nationalist group that became a bitter rival of the Black Panther Party.

In the Karamu programme, what is the "Tamshi la Tutaonana"?

Tamshi la Tutaonana is the farewell statement that closes the Karamu programme; "tutaonana" is Swahili for "we will see one another".

The philosophy behind the seven principles is called Kawaida, which means what?

Kawaida is a Swahili word meaning "common" or "customary"; Karenga's Kawaida philosophy supplies the seven principles and the holiday's symbols.

In what year did the US Postal Service issue its first Kwanzaa stamp?

The US Postal Service issued its first Kwanzaa stamp on October 22, 1997, a 32-cent design showing a family in colourful African dress.

Which president gave the first presidential declaration marking Kwanzaa, in 1997?

Bill Clinton issued the first presidential Kwanzaa message in 1997, during his second term; George W. Bush and Barack Obama continued the practice.

Official Kwanzaa guidance says a child's gifts should always include which two items?

Official guidance says a child's Kwanzaa gifts must always include a book and a heritage symbol, to stress learning and a commitment to African tradition and history.

Many African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa alongside which other winter holiday?

Christmas and Kwanzaa are observed side by side by many; Karenga softened his early framing of Kwanzaa as a Christmas alternative as it went mainstream.

Karenga's father was a minister in which Christian denomination?

Karenga's father was a Baptist minister; Karenga grew up in a large rural family before moving to Los Angeles as a young man.

Which African leader named his political philosophy "Ujamaa"?

Julius Nyerere, who led Tanganyika to independence in 1961, called his political philosophy Ujamaa, Swahili for "familyhood"; the same word names one of Kwanzaa's seven principles.

Which poet narrated the 2008 documentary about Kwanzaa, "The Black Candle"?

Maya Angelou narrated The Black Candle, the 2008 documentary that traces Kwanzaa's origins in the Black Power movement of the 1960s.

Per a 2019 poll, roughly what share of Americans planning a winter holiday celebrate Kwanzaa?

A 2019 poll found about 2.6% of Americans planning a winter-holiday celebration intended to celebrate Kwanzaa, far behind Christmas.

On which network did the special "A Rugrats Kwanzaa" first air?

"A Rugrats Kwanzaa" aired on Nickelodeon, the home of Rugrats, with Susie Carmichael's family celebrating the holiday for the first time.

In the Karamu programme, what does "Kushangilia" mean?

Kushangilia, Swahili for rejoicing, is the celebratory stage of the Karamu programme, with music, dance and performances after the meal.

The first large Karamu feast, in 1973, was held in which US city?

The first large Karamu was held in Chicago in January 1973, organised through the city's independent Black community institutions.

A 2009 estimate placed the number of Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa in what range?

A 2009 estimate put the number of Americans celebrating Kwanzaa at between 500,000 and 2,000,000, roughly one to five percent of African Americans.

Karenga argued that which kind of revolution must come before a violent one?

He said the cultural revolution "gives identity, purpose, and direction", and holidays were part of that project.

Which Zulu first-fruits festival partly inspired Kwanzaa?

Umkhosi Wokweshwama, the Zulu first-fruits festival also called Umkhosi Woselwa (the calabash festival), is held around the December solstice at the Enyokeni Royal Palace.

Which Black Panther was killed with John Huggins in a January 1969 clash with US Organization?

Alprentice "Bunchy" Carter, founder of the Panthers' Southern California chapter, was shot dead with John Huggins on January 17, 1969, by US Organization members.

Karenga's 1994 second doctorate, in social ethics, came from which university?

Karenga earned a second PhD in social ethics from the University of Southern California in 1994, with a dissertation on classical African ethics.

Kawaida is a synthesis of nationalist, pan-Africanist and which other values?

Karenga's Kawaida philosophy is a synthesis of nationalist, pan-Africanist and socialist values; its socialism shows in the principle of cooperative economics.

The principle of Nia calls for restoring the people to their traditional what?

Karenga defines Nia as making the building of the community a collective vocation "in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness".

What is "Siku ya Taamuli", observed on the final day of Kwanzaa?

Siku ya Taamuli, the Day of Meditation, is the name given to Kwanzaa's last day, set aside for sober self-assessment and recommitment to the community.

In the Kwanzaa libation ritual, what does the Swahili word "shukrani" mean?

Shukrani is Swahili for thanks; during the libation, celebrants give shukrani to the ancestors before drinking from the shared cup.

Which of these is a supplemental Kwanzaa symbol rather than one of the core seven?

The Nguzo Saba poster is a supplemental symbol, alongside the black, red and green flag and African books and artworks; corn, crops and the mat are core symbols.

Which colourful African cloth is specifically named as a Kwanzaa household decoration?

Kente, the strip-woven silk-and-cotton cloth of the Asante royal courts, is named in Kwanzaa guidance as a household decoration and festive dress.

Besides the Asante, which West African people are renowned weavers of kente cloth?

The Ewe of the Volta region weave kente alongside the Asante; Ewe kente often features figurative motifs woven into the strips.

What was the name of US Organization's paramilitary wing?

Simba Wachanga, Swahili for "Young Lions", was the paramilitary wing of Karenga's US Organization, drilling its young members in martial arts and security.

Besides "Habari Gani?", which two-word greeting may be used during the holiday?

"Joyous Kwanzaa" is the common English greeting for the holiday, used on cards and at community celebrations alongside the daily Swahili exchange.

A ceremony may include the "African Pledge" and the Principles of what?

The Principles of Blackness, read with the African Pledge, are part of a Kwanzaa ceremony that may also include drumming, libations and a candle-lighting ritual.

The name Swahili, the language of Kwanzaa's terms, comes from an Arabic word meaning what?

Swahili takes its name from the Arabic sawahil, "coasts", reflecting the East African coastal trading towns where the language developed.

The annual "Spirit of Kwanzaa" celebration is held at which Washington venue?

The Spirit of Kwanzaa, an annual celebration at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, features interpretive dance, African dance, song and poetry.

The Karamu feast grew out of a citywide Kwanzaa movement in which year?

The Karamu was developed in 1971 during a citywide Kwanzaa campaign promoted by independent Black institutions, with the first large feast following in January 1973.

Who proposed the Karamu feast as a community-wide educational campaign?

Afrik was associated with Shule ya Watoto, a Chicago school whose name means "school of the children".

Roughly how many people attended the first large Karamu in January 1973?

About 200 people attended the first large Karamu in January 1973, a modest start for what became a citywide tradition.

Which Chicago group held one of the country's largest Karamu celebrations in 1992?

The National Black United Front, then chaired by Conrad Worrill, held one of the country's largest Karamu celebrations in Chicago in 1992, with dancing and a youth ensemble.

In the Karamu programme, what does "Kukaribisha" mean?

Kukaribisha means welcoming: the Karamu opens with introductory remarks, a cultural expression such as a song or dance, and recognition of distinguished guests and elders.

What is the "Tamshi la Tambiko" in a Karamu celebration?

The Tamshi la Tambiko is the libation statement, spoken as the libation is poured to honour the ancestors during the Karamu.

Which Black Arts Movement poet adopted Karenga's Kawaida philosophy for his Newark organisation?

Amiri Baraka adopted Karenga's Kawaida philosophy in the late 1960s, organising his Committee for Unified Newark around its principles and planning the Kawaida Towers housing project.

What does the Swahili greeting "Heri za Kwanzaa" mean?

"Heri za Kwanzaa" means "Happy Kwanzaa"; heri is Swahili for happiness or good fortune, and the phrase is the holiday's standard Swahili greeting.

In the phrase Nguzo Saba, what does the Swahili word "nguzo" literally mean?

Nguzo is Swahili for pillar or post; the seven Nguzo Saba are thus literally the "seven pillars" of Karenga's framework.

In what year were the first Hallmark Kwanzaa cards sold?

Hallmark sold its first Kwanzaa cards in 1992, part of a 1990s wave of commercialisation that some celebrants feared would dilute the holiday's values.

Which artist designed the first US Kwanzaa postage stamp?

Synthia Saint James, a self-taught artist known for bold, flat blocks of colour, designed the first US Kwanzaa stamp, which showed a family in African dress.

Who wrote and directed the Kwanzaa documentary The Black Candle?

Asante, born in Harare and raised in Philadelphia, is the son of Afrocentric scholar Molefi Kete Asante.

Which hip-hop artist appears in the Kwanzaa documentary The Black Candle?

Chuck D co-founded Public Enemy in 1985 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

What does "Harambee!", shouted seven times to close the Kwanzaa Karamu, mean?

Harambee is Swahili for "pull together"; the Karamu's farewell statement ends with celebrants calling "Harambee!" seven times, once for each principle.

In which US state was Maulana Karenga born?

Karenga was born in Parsonsburg, Maryland, on the state's Eastern Shore, and moved to Los Angeles in 1959.

Two US Organization members convicted of the January 1969 Panther killings were brothers with which surname?

George and Larry Stiner were convicted for the January 1969 killings of two Black Panther leaders; both escaped from San Quentin in 1974.

Where was Karenga elected the first African-American student president?

At Los Angeles City College, Karenga became the school's first African-American student body president before transferring to UCLA.

In what subject did Karenga earn his BA and MA at UCLA?

Karenga earned both his BA and MA in political science at UCLA in the early 1960s, where he also studied Swahili and Arabic.

What does the adopted name "Karenga" mean in Swahili?

Karenga adopted the Swahili name Karenga, meaning "keeper of tradition", in the 1960s in place of his birth surname.

Who wrote the 2009 study Kwanzaa: Black Power and the Making of the African-American Holiday Tradition?

Keith Mayes, a historian at the University of Minnesota, wrote the 2009 study, which traces Kwanzaa from the Black Power era to a mainstream holiday.

Which newspaper did Karenga found in 1966?

Harambee began in 1966 as a newsletter and grew into the paper of the Los Angeles Black Congress.

Which FBI programme sent forged letters to inflame the US-Black Panther rivalry?

The FBI's COINTELPRO sent forged letters and cartoons to US and the Panthers, each purporting to come from the other, to deepen the rivalry.

How many Black Panthers were left dead by the 1969 confrontations with US Organization?

Four Panthers were killed in 1969: two leaders shot in Los Angeles in January, then John Savage and Sylvester Bell in San Diego in May and August.

What prison sentence did Karenga receive in 1971?

Karenga was sentenced to one to ten years in 1971 for felony assault and false imprisonment of two women; he was paroled in 1975.

At which prison did Karenga serve his sentence?

Karenga served his sentence at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, where he studied and wrote on feminism and Pan-Africanism.

Karenga's 1994 second doctorate examined which ancient Egyptian moral ideal?

Karenga's 1994 dissertation, "Maat, the Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt: A Study in Classical African Ethics", later became a book of the same name.

Karenga authored the mission statement of which 1995 event?

Karenga wrote the mission statement for the 1995 Million Man March in Washington and served on its organising committee.

Karenga became chair of the Africana Studies Department at which school?

Karenga became chair of the Africana Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach, a post he held for decades.

Which two-word phrase describes Karenga's own religious stance?

He called on African Americans to adopt secular humanism and reject other practices as mythical.

Facing the Kwanzaa candle holder, where are the three red candles placed?

The three red candles stand on the left of the candle holder, the three green on the right, with the black candle in the centre.

After the black candle is lit first, in which direction does the lighting proceed?

A new candle is lit each day, matching the principle being contemplated.

What do the red candles on the Kwanzaa candle holder symbolize?

The red candles symbolise the people's struggle, the second of the three ideas — people, struggle, hope — that the candle colours express.

By what derogatory name did the Black Panthers refer to US Organization?

The Black Panthers mocked US as "United Slaves", a name the group never used but which is often mistaken for its official title.

Which word completes the early slogan of Karenga's group: "Anywhere we are, ___ is"?

The slogan was "Anywhere we are, US is"; the name US punned on "us and them" and on the abbreviation for the United States, meaning "us Black people".

A January 1969 gun battle between US and the Panthers took place on which campus?

The January 17, 1969, shootout at UCLA's Campbell Hall killed two Panther leaders after the groups backed rival candidates to head the new Afro-American Studies Center.

Which actress guest-starred as Aunt T. in "A Rugrats Kwanzaa"?

Hall said the episode helped introduce Kwanzaa to a larger audience, including her non-black friends.

In what year was "A Rugrats Kwanzaa" first broadcast?

"A Rugrats Kwanzaa" first aired on December 11, 2001, one of the first mainstream children's specials to feature the holiday.

Which Disney animated series has a holiday episode called "Seven Days of Kwanzaa"?

The Proud Family, created by Bruce W. Smith, aired "Seven Days of Kwanzaa" during its first season.

In US Organization's black-red-green flag, what does green stand for?

Karenga defined green as the future, the hope and promise that the people build "out of struggle".

Which organisation formally adopted the red, black and green Pan-African flag in 1920?

The Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) adopted the red, black and green flag on August 13, 1920, during its month-long international convention in New York.

Universal African Flag Day on August 17 marks the birthday of which leader?

Marcus Garvey, born in Jamaica on August 17, 1887, was the Pan-Africanist leader whose movement popularised the red, black and green flag.

The first Kwanzaa stamp's designer painted the cover of which Terry McMillan novel?

The designer's painting appeared on the cover of Terry McMillan's 1992 novel Waiting to Exhale, which became a 1995 film starring Whitney Houston.

Which TV chef's "Kwanzaa Cake" became a notorious culinary disaster clip?

Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade "Kwanzaa Cake", an angel-food cake topped with canned frosting, corn nuts and pumpkin seeds, drew Anthony Bourdain's verdict of "a war crime".

The kente-weaving town of Bonwire is in which country?

Bonwire, in Ghana's Ashanti Region, is the traditional centre of Asante kente weaving, the cloth named in Kwanzaa guidance as a decoration.

Swahili, the language of Kwanzaa's terminology, belongs to which language group?

Swahili is a Bantu language of the Niger-Congo family; its grammar and core vocabulary are Bantu despite heavy borrowing from Arabic and other languages.

Most native Swahili speakers live in Kenya and which other country?

Native Swahili speakers are concentrated in Tanzania and Kenya, including Zanzibar, though tens of millions more use it as a second language across East Africa.

The 1965 Watts riots began with the traffic stop of which motorist?

Marquette Frye, 21, was pulled over for drunk driving on August 11, 1965; the scuffle at his arrest sparked six days of unrest.

How many deaths resulted from the 1965 Watts riots?

The Watts riots left 34 people dead and more than 1,000 injured; nearly 14,000 National Guard troops were deployed and damage topped $40 million.

Modern standard Swahili is written in which script?

Modern Swahili uses the Latin alphabet, standardised under European colonial rule in the 1920s and 1930s; earlier Swahili literature was written in Arabic script.

World Kiswahili Language Day, proclaimed by UNESCO, falls on which date?

UNESCO proclaimed 7 July World Kiswahili Language Day in November 2021, marking the date in 1954 when Nyerere's TANU adopted Swahili as a unifying language.

In the Pan-African flag displayed at Kwanzaa, what does the red stripe represent?

The blood shed for liberty is red's meaning, 'the blood which men must shed for their redemption and liberty'; black is for the people themselves.

The word "kente" comes from an Akan word meaning what?

Kente comes from the Akan word kenten, meaning basket, a nod to the cloth's basket-like weave; Asante folklore says weavers copied Anansi the spider's web.

In which year did King Goodwill Zwelithini revive the Zulu first-fruits festival that partly inspired Kwanzaa?

King Goodwill Zwelithini revived the festival in 1990; British colonial authorities had banned it after the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879.