Kwanzaa is an African American holiday, which was created in 1966. It is seven  days long beginning December 26 and ending on January 1. Each day is named for one of the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles). Kwanzaa was designed as a creative mixture of Continental African and world wide African culture and is based on proud tradition and reason. 

Most African Americans  are far removed from the origins of our people, yet it is appropriate for us to celebrate and thank the Creator for all we have received throughout the previous year and to celebrate our joint productivity collectively - our first fruits.

The name KWANZAA is derived from the Swahili language of East Africa. "Matunde ya Kwanza" is a Kiswahili phrase meaning first fruits of the harvest. African harvest celebrations date back thousands of years to ancient Egypt and Nubia. These holidays are found all over the African continent from ancient to modern times.

Each proud people have had its own name for the celebration and the duration has differed from 3 to 9 days. Ancient Egypt (Kemit) celebrated Pert-In-Min or the Coming Forth of Min as a holiday of the first fruits. The Swazi people of Southern Africa celebrate Incwala and the neighboring Matabele have Inxwala. The Thonga people celebrate Luma and for the Ashanti of Ghana, it is Afahye or Odwira for a week or more.

The Yoruba of Nigeria celebrate the New Yam Festivals called Eje or Oro Olofin. The Yoruba Odun Ijesu Yam Festival lasts for three days. Among the Zulu people the Umkhosi holiday lasts for seven days. This is the one, which has provided the model for our celebration of Kwanzaa. Accordingly we must not take our charge lightly. The task of restoring our people to greatness, must be done by returning to our cultural past and preserving it.