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In 1966, Maulana Karenga, a Black Studies professor at California State University at Long Beach, created a new holiday patterned after traditional African harvest festivals. He called it Kwanzaa, a name he took from a Swahili term that means "first fruits." The holiday, which takes place from December 26th to January 1st, was originally intended as a nonreligious celebration of family and social values. Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
Examples of Kwanzaa in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Kwanzaa.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Swahili kwanza first
1970, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to Kwanzaa
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The Words of the Week - Dec. 29
Dictionary lookups from Kwanzaa, the economy, and environmentalism
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The Words of the Week - Dec. 30
Dictionary lookups from aviation, politics, and the holidays
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Merriam-Webster's Words of the Week -...
Dictionary lookups from Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve, the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, and new COVID-19 guidance.
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Cite this Entry
“Kwanzaa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Kwanzaa. Accessed 11 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
Kwanzaa
nounSwahili kwanza "first," in the phrase matunda ya kwanza "first fruits"
More from Merriam-Webster on Kwanzaa
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Kwanzaa
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