Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday celebrated primarily by African American families, originating in 1966 as part of the Black nationalist movement by Maulana Karenga. The name "Kwanzaa" is derived from the Swahili phrase *matunda ya kwanzaa*, which means "first fruits of the harvest." The holiday's focus is on the affirmation of African American culture, encompassing seven core principles: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani). Kwanzaa is marked by the lighting of a candle each night from a kinara, along with various cultural rituals and gatherings.
The celebration of Kwanzaa saw significant growth in the 1990s, leading to increased commercialization as retailers began to offer Kwanzaa-specific products. However, this commercialization has sparked criticism regarding the movement away from its original ideals, especially concerning the sourcing of celebration supplies. Despite its peak in popularity, more recent surveys indicate a decline in observance of Kwanzaa in the 21st century, particularly among younger generations. The holiday remains a vibrant part of the cultural landscape, with various resources available, including children's books and cookbooks, reflecting its ongoing significance within African American communities.
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Kwanzaa
In the 1990s, Kwanzaa gained increasing popularity, and its commercialization became more evident in this decade.
The term “Kwanzaa” comes from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanzaa, meaning “first fruits of the harvest.” The holiday was created by Maulana Karenga in 1966 as a part of the Black nationalist movement in an attempt to affirm and celebrate African American culture and values. There are seven principles that focus on community-building, strengthening family relationships, education about Black culture, and African American unity and pride. The principles are umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), and imani (faith). Kwanzaa celebrations typically include a mat, seven candles, a kinara to display the candles, a unity cup, and ears of corn. A candle is lit each night, representing a specific Kwanzaa principle.
The 1990s saw a huge rise in the number of African American families celebrating Kwanzaa. Annual Kwanzaa celebrations were evident at Black churches, local and national organizations, schools, college campuses, and homes. The commercialization of Kwanzaa became evident when retailers such as J. C. Penney, Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, and Kmart began carrying Kwanzaa supplies. Hallmark began mass-producing Kwanzaa greeting cards. In the 1980s and 1990s, Kwanzaa expos became popular in US cities. In 1997, the first Kwanzaa stamp was issued by the US Postal Service on October 22. In the late 1990s, President Bill Clinton discussed Kwanzaa in a White House speech affirming its principles and celebration of African American culture. However, the popularity of Kwanzaa waned in the 2000s and 2010s. According to a 2014 survey by the National Retail Federation, approximately 1.6 percent of Americans said they celebrate Kwanzaa.
It is believed that the rise of the African American middle class and the acceptance of multiculturalism contributed to the popularization of Kwanzaa in the 1980s and 1990s as corporate America recognized the buying power of Black consumers. It is mostly celebrated by African American middle-class families. The commercialization of Kwanzaa led some critics to state that Kwanzaa drifted away from some of its original ideals. One criticism is that Kwanzaa supplies are not often bought from Black-owned businesses. However, African American and commercial Kwanzaa suppliers have benefited from Kwanzaa’s increased popularity. The Kwanzaa holiday is a popular subject in children’s books, cookbooks, and African American magazines.
Impact
The popularization of Kwanzaa celebrations by African Americans in the 1990s represented corporate America’s long-overdue recognition of the buying power of African American consumers. The decline of the holiday's popularity in the twenty-first century has been attributed to the rise of the Internet and the creation of African American studies programs at colleges and universities, providing other avenues to celebrate and connect with African American culture that was not available in the 1980s and early 1990s. An informal poll by the Root in 2011 found that baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) were much more likely to say they observe Kwanzaa than millennials (born between 1982 and 2002), indicating a generation gap in the celebration of the holiday.
Bibliography
Karenga, Maulana. Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture. U of Sankore P, 1998.
Mayes, Keith A. Kwanzaa: Black Power and the Making of the African-American Holiday Tradition. Routledge, 2009/
Neal, Mark Anthony. "Is Kwanzaa Still a Thing?" Interview by Michael Martin. Tell Me More, 28 Dec. 2012, www.npr.org/2012/12/28/168202864/is-kwanzaa-still-a-thing. Accessed 21 May 2024.
O'Neal, Kathryn. "Confessions of a Kwanzaa Drop-Out: Why I Don't Celebrate the Holiday." The Washington Post, 13 Dec. 2012, www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/confessions-of-a-kwanzaa-dropout-why-i-dont-celebrate-the-holiday/2012/12/12/f60ffd78-447e-11e2-8061-253bccfc7532‗blog.html. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Rock, Amanda. "Kwanza Traditions for Kids and Families." Verywell Families, 2 Nov. 2022, www.verywellfamily.com/kwanzaa-traditions-for-kids-and-families-2765149. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Weaver, Joshua R. "Who Actually Celebrates Kwanzaa?" The Root, 16 Dec. 2011, www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2011/12/who‗celebrates‗kwanzaa‗the‗holiday‗in‗statistics. Accessed 21 May 2024.
Winbush Riley, Dorothy. The Complete Kwanzaa. HarperCollins, 1995.