The holiday season is in full swing and while millions around the world celebrated the traditional Christmas holiday, Kwanzaa, which kicks off Wednesday, presents another opportunity to be festive.
The seven-day festival, which was created by Black studies professor Dr. Maulana “Ron” Karenga in 1966, offers seven tenets intended to honor life. It also reminds the Black diaspora during this time of year that there’s an alternative to the highly-commercialized holiday of Christmas.
Unlike Christmas, Kwanzaa doesn’t cost anything! All that is required to memorialize the seven-day holiday is a kinara and seven candles. Beginning on December 26, each candle is lit to represent a different principle of Kwanzaa, including umoja or unity; kujichagulia or self-determination; ujima or collective work and responsibility; ujamaa or cooperative economics; nia or purpose; kuumba or creativity; and imani, which means faith.
For those celebrating the Kwanzaa holiday with friends and family, and love television like we do, we’ve selected seven TV shows that embody its principles. So get together, get cozy, and get ready to infuse your Kwanzaa festivities with some intentional, informative, and entertaining television.
For the full story, visit Essence.com/Entertainment.
