On December 26th, 1966, the first Kwanzaa was celebrated in Los Angeles, California under the direction of Maulana Karenga. For 7 days each year, Kwanzaa celebrates African American families, community, and culture. Karenga established the holiday after a deadly riot broke out in Los Angeles in 1965. It left 34 citizens dead, 1,000 injured, and over $40 million worth of damage. As the Chair of Black Studies at California State University, Karenga was deeply disturbed by the devastation and began researching African traditions that would empower and unite African American communities across the United States. He was inspired by Kwanzaa, which is a word derived from the phrase matunda ya kwanza, or “first fruits” in Swahili. Today, Kwanzaa is honored by millions of people of African descent throughout the United States and Canada, and celebrates the principles of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, economic cooperation, purpose, creativity, and faith.
