What exactly is Kwanzaa? Who Celebrates it? And Why?

To me, and I am around a lot of African Americans, it is a made up holiday. Nobody celebrated it until a few year's ago. I wondered if it was a way that black people started a count down to Martin Luther King's birthday (mid January) and Black History month (February). Or it could be black people's way of extending the holidays, but nobody is paying attention. It does start on December 26th. Here is a prime example that nobody is paying attention to Kwanzaa. If you look on a calender it will tell when Kwanzaa starts but not when it ends. Unlike Hanukkah, which is a real religious holiday period it does have a beginning and end. That leads me to the question, What religious holiday is Kwanzaa? It's not one. It something made up.

Kwanzaa is not a made up holiday. It is a holiday for African Americans to celebrate themselves and to come up in the community. It is a time to build and shop at our own stores and teach our children and to learn more about ourselves. It is not a time for girlfriends to be pulling their boyfriends through a crowded mall so that they can tell them what they want this ONE time a year to show them that they really care about them. It is not a time of evil; of people fighting over the last tickle me Elmo; It is 7 days of 7 principles; Tell me, who's clothes are you buying? Not your own...who are you supporting? You worked hard all year to give praise to someone else so that your children will be happen? They should be happy all throughout the entire year; your wife or husband should be happy all throughout the year. Anyway, I guess I got off onto another subject, but folks should study things before they go and make assumptions on it. It is our holiday and it's something very important to some of us and the goal is that we all are well informed.

kwanzaa was created about 40years ago, by a black prisoner in the Los Angeles area, who thought that blacks should have their own alternative to Christmas. It is not African and as nothing to do with Africa. I once lived in Africa and I had never heard about it until I came to the USA, its a black pride thing.

Kwanzaa (or Kwaanza) is a week-long secular holiday honoring African-American heritage, observed from December 26 to January 1 each year, almost exclusively by African-Americans in the United States of America. Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting and pouring of libations, and culminating in a feast and gift-giving. It was founded by controversial black nationalist Ron Karenga, and first celebrated from December 26, 1966, to January 1, 1967. Karenga calls Kwanzaa the African American branch of "first fruits" celebrations of classical African cultures.

Kwanzaa is celbrated by African Americans in celebration of their African Ansectors. Becuase they want a holiday around chirstmas, its stupid.

"Unlike Hanukkah, which is a real religious holiday period it does have a beginning and end. That leads me to the question, What religious holiday is Kwanzaa? It's not one. It something made up." I've got news for you, Hanukkah (and all other religious holidays) was also made up, it was just made up a lot longer ago. Christmas, in fact, was intentionally placed at December 25 to coincide with (and preempt) the Roman Holiday of Saturnalia. Talk about being made up! I'm White, but I'm amazed at how quick people are to invalidate Kwanzaa just because it's a Black holiday.

Kwanzaa (or Kwaanza) is a week-long secular holiday honoring African-American heritage, observed from December 26 to January 1 each year, almost exclusively by African-Americans in the United States of America. Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting and pouring of libations, and culminating in a feast and gift-giving. It was founded by controversial black nationalist Ron Karenga, and first celebrated from December 26, 1966, to January 1, 1967. Karenga calls Kwanzaa the African American branch of "first fruits" celebrations of classical African cultures.

I don't know, but I would like to, because I am 50% African-American. I don't celebrate Kwanzaa, I celebrate Christmas, but I would still like to know.

just another black day off.. like MLK day its just a silly made up holiday... doesnt even fall in the time with the harvest in africa anyhow