Is this the only race based holiday?

Question

I know that there are a number of cultural celebrations, but those tend to be inclusive of others. For example, everyone is a little irish on St. Patrick's Day and is encouraged to participate. People celebrate Octoberfest that aren't german.

Is this holiday made up in 1966 the only one that is specifically excludes people from celebrating based on race?

Answer 1

Based on the principals of kwanzaa it is a racist holiday
Exclusive for the black people.

"the seven-fold path of blackness is think black, talk black, act black, create black, buy black, vote black, and live black." [9]


exc[edit] History and etymology
Ron Karenga created Kwanzaa in California in 1966, during his leadership of the black nationalist United Slaves Organization (also known as the "US Organization"), in order to give African Americans an alternative holiday to Christmas. He later stated, "...it was chosen to give a Black alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society." [2]


Ron Karenga, founder of KwanzaaConcerning those who thought he was adapting kwanzaa from a traditional African practice, the Brotherhood Organization of A New Destiny (BOND), an organization that has opposed the legitimacy of Kwanzaa in the past, Karenga noted "People think it's African, but it's not. I came up with Kwanzaa because black people wouldn't celebrate it if they knew it was American. Also, I put it around Christmas because I knew that's when a lot of Bloods were partying."[3]

The name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza", meaning "first fruits". The choice of Swahili, an East African language, reflects its status as a symbol of Pan-Africanism, especially in the 1960s, though most African-Americans have West African ancestry.

An additional "a" was added to "Kwanza" so that the word would have seven letters. At the time there were seven children in Karenga's United Slaves Organization, each wanted to represent one of the letters in Kwanzaa[4] Also, the name was meant to have a letter for each of what Karenga called the "Seven Principles of Blackness". Kwanzaa is also sometimes spelled "kwaanza".

It is a celebration that has its roots in the civil rights era of the 1960s, and was established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with what Karenga characterized as their African cultural and historical heritage by uniting in meditation and study around principles that have their putative origins in what Karenga asserts are "African traditions" and "common humanist principles."

In 1967, a year after Karenga proposed this new holiday, he publicly espoused the view that "Jesus was psychotic" and that Christianity was a white religion that blacks should shun.[5] However, as Kwanzaa gained mainstream adherents, Karenga altered his position so as not to alienate practicing Christians, then stating in the 1997 Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture, "Kwanzaa was not created to give people an alternative to their own religion or religious holiday." [6]


1997 Kwanzaa stampThat same year the first Kwanzaa stamp was issued by the United States Postal Service on October 22 [7] at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, California. In 2004 a second Kwanzaa stamp, created by artist Daniel Minter was issued which has seven figures in colorful robes symbolizing the seven principles. [8]


[edit] Principles of Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called "The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa", or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba - "The seven Principles of Blackness"), which Karenga said "is a communitarian African philosophy" consisting of Karenga's distillation of what he deemed "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world." These seven principles comprise Kawaida, a Swahili term for tradition and reason that Karenga used to refer to his synthesized system of belief. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles, which are explained by Karenga as follows:

Umoja (Unity) To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together.
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
Nia (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
Kuumba (Creativity) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
Imani (Faith) To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
These principles correspond to Karenga's notion that "the seven-fold path of blackness is think black, talk black, act black, create black, buy black, vote black, and live black.

Answer 2

No, it has not caught on in all of the African American neighborhoods as yet. Most don't know what it is for or why. If people are invited to a Kwanzaa celebration and are of another race, I'm sure they will celebrate. The other factor is Kwanzaa doesn't have Macy's and Gimbles behind them either Cinco DE Mayo, Dia de Muerte, Chinese New Year

Answer 3

Until I came to the north from Texas, I had never heard of Kwanzaa. I never heard of it being celebrated down south. We also celebrate the emancipation of slaves with Juneteenth but they don't celebrate that up north. I think that emancipation is something we need to be reminded of. What our forefathers gave their lives for. Kwanzaa seems a little forced. My kids go to a school where they celebrate Kwanzaa, Christmas and Hanukkah. They were trying to find a Kwanzaa song to add to the holiday concert. It was really interesting.

I find myself feeling like I don't know if I want my children's teacher to teach about Kwanzaa because I feel like the other person, Christmas is more than enough for me. I feel like if they teach Kwanzaa and my kids are the "only black kids" they will feel strange for not celebrating it.

Answer 4

Pretty much. Ron Karenga set it up himself in 1966 and said "it was chosen to give a Black alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society."

In 1967, a year after Karenga proposed this new holiday, he publicly espoused the view that "Jesus was psychotic" and that Christianity was a white religion that blacks should shun.

Other criticisms center on Karenga's criminal record, including having been convicted and jailed on charges of felony assault and false imprisonment for the torture of two women. The women were themselves African-American, which some critics, among them Les Kinsolving, feel detract from Karenga’s claim that he created Kwanzaa to celebrate and strengthen the unity of black people.

I'm tired of the constant reverse discrimination towards whites. If your white and christian you can be mocked and attacked, but because you are black everyone must watch their P's and Q's.

Mr. Karenga was simply a man that despised those that were not african. He was an individual that despised a holiday that glorified the savior of the world.

Check Wikipedia it's all there.

Answer 5

To actually answer your question while Kwanzaa is a varied holiday there are only a few holidays that are specifically race related. I know of some in the Jewish calender that are based on the history of their people, and while they would not stop you from celebrating with them, it would seem a bit odd if you do not share their history.

Answer 6

Ron Karenga created Kwanzaa in California in 1966, during his leadership of the black nationalist United Slaves Organization (also known as the "US Organization"), in order to give African Americans an alternative holiday to Christmas.
In 1967, a year after Karenga proposed this new holiday, he publicly espoused the view that "Jesus was psychotic" and that Christianity was a white religion that blacks should shun.
Kwanzaa has been criticized because it is not a traditional holiday of African people, and because of its recent provenance, having been invented in 1966. Black civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson wrote, "...the whole holiday is made up! You won't find its roots in Africa or anywhere else. The origins of Kwanzaa, however, are not secret, and are openly acknowledged by those promoting the holiday. It was never advanced as an indigenous, African celebration.
In 1971 Karenga, Louis Smith, and Luz Maria Tamayo were convicted of felony assault and false imprisonment for assaulting and torturing two women from the United Slaves, Deborah Jones & Gail Davis.
He also had ties to the Black Panthers.
Considering the short history and why the holiday was made up I would say yes it was made up for one race.

Seems to be a lot of controversy around it.

Answer 7

No one's stopping you, if you want to. My friend Anna, who wasn't black, celebrated Kwanzaa once. It's not there for the purpose of excluding other races, though, it's just celebrating one particular heritage. I guess it could be compared to Cinco de Mayo in that respect. Anyone can celebrate it, but it's most meaningful to people of African descent.

Also, Kwanzaa isn't a big neighborhood celebration, and my family usually does it at home, just for half an hour or so every night. That might not sound exciting to people who haven't grown up celebrating Kwanzaa, so that might be another reason why mostly African descendants celebrate it.

Answer 8

I am black and don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Kwanzaa or October fest. I haven't the funkiest idea about any of that crap. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Cinco De Mayo and birthdays are the real deal. Read DT's Kwanzaa except and still find it ridiculous and will not celebrate it. Christ is enough for me.

Answer 9

Anyone can celebrate Kwanzaa. It's supposed to confirm group solidarity, and connect African Americans to their African heritage. If this is something you also want to be a part of, you can. However, most people don't celebrate Kwanzaa because it's made up based on pseudo pagan rituals, and is dumb. Also, people "celebrate" the two holidays you've mentioned by drinking, and partying, which Kwanzaa isn't about. So if you don't have a different holiday you can exemplify, then your comment is just dumb

Answer 10

The history and development of Kwanzaa is certainly an interesting social phenomena. Some claim that the "holiday" was started by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach.

Others maintain that the holiday we now know as Kwanzaa was "invented" by Ron Everett, a convicted felon and leader of a black nationalist group called United Slaves. Everett was also a member of the south Los Angeles street gang, Gladiators; however, most who celebrate Kwanzaa do not even know these connections.

The truth of who actually created the "holiday" lies somewhere in between. Some scholars claim that it wa the Gladiators, who began celbrations in their neighborhood and eventually involved UCLA, which set the stage for the later national move toward a holiday.

Initial claims in support of the holiday was that Kwanzaa is a Pan-African harvest holiday. Some criticisms of the holiday focus on the fact that it is not actually celebrated during the traditional African harvest season, tough; nor is it celbrated during any North American harvest season.

Other scholars who study these items now suggest that the dates were set not by a true harvest but by the spirit of a harvest. This was incorporated by Dr. Karenga in the creations of 1966.

More specifically, to your question of exclusion ... the official stance is that Kwanzaa is a non-religious African American holiday which celebrates family, community, and culture.

There are no known official exclusions on race, culture, etc., so many claim that Kwanzaa is very much like Cinco-de-Mayo, Octoberfest, etc., in the sense that anyone can celbrate the holiday.

The other side of the argument is that Kwanzaa focuses very much on the African-American culture, family, etc., and therefore is exclusionary. A part of this argument is based on the "seven symbols" celebrated during Kwanzaa. A quick review of the symbols shows a clear focus on race and culture, and some argue that this is to the exclusion of other races or cultures. In fact, the term "race" is mentioned prominently in the symbols. Likewise, there is a clear "us" associated with the symbols, and most people using simple logic would see that this is an exclusionary method of referral.

These symbols include:

Unity (Umoja) - (oo-MO-jah)
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

Self-determination (Kujichagulia) - (koo-gee-cha-goo-LEE-yah)
To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima) - (oo-GEE-mah)
To build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together.

Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa)- (oo-JAH-mah)
To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Purpose (Nia) - (nee-YAH)
To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

Creativity (Kuumba)- (koo-OOM-bah)
To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Faith (Imani) - (ee-MAH-nee)
To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Long and short of it ... anyone can celebrate the holiday, but true believers adhere to the sybmols and the celebration is about embracing the idealogy. You can probably make your own decision on how exclusionary such a holiday is.

Answer 11

Any one who wants to celebrate Kwanzaa can, I am sure it is designed to help people. I would like to see other cultures participating in Kwanzaa, that would be great!!