Who created the holiday Kwanzaa?

Who created the holiday Kwanzaa? Maulana Karenga created it in 1966. Karenga was an activist and scholar involved in the Black Power movement, and he developed Kwanzaa as a cultural celebration centered on African heritage, family, community, and collective responsibility.

Kwanzaa emerged in Los Angeles after the 1965 Watts uprising and was first observed from December 26, 1966, through January 1, 1967. Karenga drew inspiration from African harvest or “first fruits” traditions, but Kwanzaa is a modern African-American holiday rather than an ancient African festival transported unchanged to the United States.

The celebration’s framework includes the Nguzo Saba, or Seven Principles, one for each day. Its symbols include the kinara, seven candles, crops, corn, a unity cup, and gifts. A common mix-up is crediting Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., or Marcus Garvey because all were influential figures in Black history; none created Kwanzaa.