myrmepropagandistKwanzaa Facts
1. Kwanzaa is a made up holiday.
2. So is every other holiday.
3. Anyone can celebrate Kwanzaa.
4. It was created by Black, (mostly American and Christian*) people in the 1970s to celebrate Black history and the influence of African culture in the African diaspora and to assert the presence of Black people in US culture.
5. Most Black Americans don't celebrate Kwanzaa.
6. It is not a holiday tied to any particular religion.
myrmepropagandist7. Dr. Maulana Karenga wrote extensively about Kwanzaa but personally I feel saying he "invented Kwanzaa" misses some of the significance of the holiday.
8. It grows out of a long tradition of Black Americans seeking a connection to the homelands we cannot name.
9. It is a holiday about self improvement and personal growth and VERY anti-commercial.
10. It's a time to ask if you are doing enough to support your community.
I grew up celebrating Kwanzaa. So this is just my perspective.