Kwanzaa is one of my favorite times of the year and has been a part of my family celebrations for nearly 20 years. Our family has taken part in all types of Kwanzaa celebrations, including intimate ones at our home, private celebrations with other families and large public community gatherings. Each of these celebrations have contributed to how I apply and practice the principles of Kwanzaa.These principles are unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani).

As I learned more about Kwanzaa and the values it represents, I began to embrace Kwanzaa and appreciate its values and rituals. Lighting a candle for the seven principles gives those values a focus while we celebrate with family and friends. Our annual Kwanzaa family and friend gatherings centered around our growing families. As a supportive Black community, these celebrations were opportunities to affirm the strength and beauty of our young Black children. 

Public Kwanzaa festivals bring together the larger Black community and offer the opportunity to experience a variety of Black art forms. I remember attending my first Kwanzaa public event at the Apollo Theater in Harlem with my family several years ago. We really enjoyed it, sparking our curiosity to attend more celebrations such as the festival held at The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). For over 35 years AMNH has hosted one of the largest Kwanzaa celebrations in the US and I was surprised to see the event space overflowed with joyous attendees and the atmosphere created by the Black community coming together to celebrate and honor each other was powerful. These are experiences our family will miss this year since unfortunately large gatherings are restricted due to the pandemic.

One of Kwanzaa’s principles that resonates with me is the principle of cooperative economics, Ujamaa. Ujamaa refers to uplifting the Black community economically. The practice of Ujamaa has the potential to leverage Black spending power by supporting and buying from Black businesses as the circulation of money within the Black community helps to uplift and build successful Black communities. As Kwanzaa continues to grow we also see public and private interest in Black spending such as the USPS issuing Kwanzaa stamps and a steady stream of companies beginning to embrace the holiday. As we have seen in 2020 when New York State recognized Juneteenth as a holiday and the current push to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, the recognition and celebration of African American holidays are important in the movement for racial equity. Kwanzaa is a holiday that uplifts the global Black experience and celebrates Blackness in all its variations. 

Books have always been incorporated into our Kwanzaa celebrations as a way to reintroduce the principles. I hope you enjoy this collection of books about Kwanzaa which includes a couple of our family favorites and options for all ages.

 

My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz

With bright, clear collage illustrations that focus on one young preschooler and her extended family and friends, this small picture book introduces the Kwanzaa holiday. A double-page spread for each of the seven days of the holiday shows and tells the Seven Principles, from Working Together and Creativity to Faith and Purpose. Africa is mentioned a lot (though not specific countries or nations), and a final note explains that the name Kwanzaa comes from a Swahili word for "first fruits." A useful pronunciation guide is included, as are clear explanations of the candles, gifts, crafts, fruits, and vegetables that are part of the celebration. The specifics, the simple words, and the active pictures combine to convey the wider sense of community that is the essence of the holiday. —Booklist 

Kevin's Kwanzaa by Lisa Bullard, illustrated by Constanza Basaluzzo

Kevin is excited for his turn to light the candles on the last night of Kwanzaa. As he narrates through the week of Kwanzaa, readers learn about the origins, purpose, and rituals of this holiday. —Publisher summary
 

 

A Kwanzaa Celebration: Pop-up Book by Nancy Williams, illustrated by Robert Sabuda

In A Kwanzaa Celebration, Nancy Williams and award winning illustrator Robert Sabuda have created an exuberant mix of symbolic holiday images, bold blocks of color, and ingenious pop-ups. This festive book is a true celebration of a joyous African-American holiday. —Publisher summary

 

K is for Kwanzaa: A Kwanzaa Alphabet Book by Juwanda G. Ford, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max

Bright colors and blocky, thickly outlined objects and characters join with a simple overview of the African-American harvest holiday. There is an explanation of the seven principles of Kwanzaa and a pronunciation guide for the African words in the text. This title includes a full-page outline map of Africa, but no countries are identified. The alphabetical format is an effective technique to introduce many words about the holiday to a relatively young audience, for children are likely to encounter words they might not find in other books. "E is for Embe," for example, refers to an African fruit; "G is for Gele," a long narrow strip of cloth wrapped around an African woman's head. Common words are used as well, such as feast, harvest, jewelry, and tales. The vibrant, uncluttered art set against equally colorful backgrounds make this an appealing choice. — School Library Journal 

The Complete Kwanzaa: Celebrating Our Cultural Harvest by Dorothy Winbush Riley

Kwanzaa is an African American holiday that began in 1966 as the brainchild of a black studies professor, Dr. Maulana Karenga. It's an occasion celebrated from December 26 to January 1 and organized around seven principles-unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. In this work, which is helpful in understanding the custom, Riley has illuminated each Kwanzaa principle with chapters replete with poetry, life stories of noted personalities who have benefited from using that particular system, quotations, folktales, and proverbs. Numerous books have been written on this practice, many for children. — Library Journal 

 

Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture by Maulana Karenga

Written by the creator of the holiday, this book presents the continental African and African-American origins of the celebration, a chapter on each of the Seven Principles, explanations of the meaning of related symbols, suggested activities, and a wrap-up section in which Karenga answers frequently asked questions. The beginning chapter provides a concise overview of the holiday, with subsequent chapters providing in-depth information on the "first-fruits" or harvest festivals that provided the basis for Kwanzaa. The attractive layout features plenty of white space with text blocks broken up by both full-color and black-and-white photographs (from the author's very first Kwanzaa celebration) and illustrations.  — School Library Journal 

Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Everyday: A Complete Guide for Making Kwanzaa a Part of Your Life by Maitefa Angaza

Traditionally, Kwanzaa brings family, friends, and the community together for a winter celebration. But Kwanzaa can be a part of your life year-round. The 20 million people of African descent who celebrate this holiday steeped in cultural richness observe the holiday for its seven principles—principles that inspire the individual and promote community. Whether you’re a first-time celebrant or a seasoned veteran, Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day is a must-have reference for making Kwanzaa special for you and your loved ones.  — Publisher summary

Of the several books on Kwanzaa, few are invested with such utility as Maitefa Angaza’s thorough-going discussion and analysis . . . a meaningful, wonderful guide. —Herb Boyd, author of Black Detroit: A People’s History of Self-Determination

Kwanzaa: An African-American Celebration of Culture and Cooking by Eric V. Copage, design and illustrations by Cheryl Carrington

The only complete guide to the history and foods of Kwanzaa. In this beautiful yet practical book, there are recipes for more than 125 treasured dishes from people of African descent living all over the world. Adorned with biographies of distinguished African Americans, proverbs, and folk tales that illustrate the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba), Kwanzaa embodies the very spirit of the holiday itself: a culinary celebration and a testimony to the accomplishments and spirit of African Americans throughout history. This is more than just a book for a holiday. It is a cookbook and a source of inspiration to be used all year long.  —Publisher summary

Kwanzaa: An African-American Holiday That Is Progressive & Uplifting by Haki R. Madhubuti

Informative and insightful, this book is a complete guide to celebrating Kwanzaa. —Publisher summary

 

 

 

 

Kwanzaa by Joanna Ponto and Carol Gnojewski

First observed in 1966, Kwanzaa is the weeklong celebration of African traditions in American culture. Readers will be introduced to the black power movement of the last century and understand that this holiday was created to connect African Americans with their heritage. This informative resource includes colorful photos, an easy-to-follow recipe for Botswanan stew and instructions on how to make and play the mancala counting game. —Publisher summary

 

Cultural Passport is a blog series about books covering the Black Diaspora exploring culture, cooking, dance, sports and spirituality. This series is written and curated by Troy Belle and Diana Tan.

 

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