Source: Genaro Molina / Getty
The celebration of African-American culture, known as
Kwanzaa, was observed by many on social media on its first day.
On Thursday (December 26), many paid homage to those celebrating the first day of Kwanzaa, expressing their greetings through social media despite some detractors looking to discredit the tradition. The annual celebration of African diasporic culture is observed the day after Christmas for seven days, each of those days dedicated to the seven principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguzo Saba. They are the cornerstone of the Kawaida, or common philosophy of the holiday, which is inspired by various cultures from the continent.
Kwanzaa was first crafted by the Black activist Maulana Karenga in California in 1966 as a way for Black people to become more in touch with their heritage, taking inspiration from the first fruits festivals in Southern Africa and incorporating terms from the Swahili language. The Seven Principles are Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination, Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith). The karamu ya imani is a communal feast typically held on December 31 to honor the ancestors and those in the community. Kwanzaa is notably marked by the seven red, black and green candles representing each of the seven principles in a candle holder known as a kinara. New York City and Baltimore have had large public kinaras on display in years past.
Numerous figures, from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to cultural institutions and corporate brands, marked the first day of Kwanzaa on social media with their well-wishes. Others celebrated with some lighthearted observations, including noting that Elmo from
Sesame Street observing Kwanzaa (in a segment featuring actor Michael B. Jordan) proved that the character is Black. They would outweigh a small faction of naysayers, particularly on X, formerly Twitter. Those people were a mix of those citing Karenga’s check-marked past in clashes with the Black Panther Party as head of the US activist organization aided by the
FBI through their COINTELPRO program, and right-wingers claiming that Kwanzaa is “racist” towards white people.
