Chicagoans from across the city join convened at Malcolm X College on December 27, 2022 for the college’s annual Kwanzaa celebration.
This year’s event, “A Story of a Resilient Culture”, featured children’s story times and live performances from Emmy award-winning vocalist Joan Collaso, the Thunder Sky Drummers, and Najwa Dance Corps, a local dance company. A vendor marketplace and drum call event brought participants together.
Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration, beginning the day after Christmas each year, that was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga. Dr. Karenga aimed to create a nationally celebrated holiday reaffirming African heritage and culture. The holiday is rooted in the Nguzo Saba (Swahili for Seven Principles), celebrated during each of the seven days of the holiday,: umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), and imani (faith).
Interested in learning more about the enduring legacy and traditions of the African diaspora in America? Explore City College’s courses in Africana Studies here: https://catalog.ccc.edu/courses-az/afro_am/
