According to the history website, Kwanzaa was created in 1966, after the Watts riots in Los Angeles by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Dr. Karenga wanted to find a way to bring African-Americans together by researching different African "first fruit" (harvest) celebrations. Kwanzaa is the combination of the Ashanti and Zulu celebrations.
The Kwanzaa name is from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which translates to "first fruits." The celebration of Kwanzaa is seven days long and involves dances, songs, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal. Each night a child lights a candle on the Kinara and one of the seven principles called Nguzo Saba is discussed.
The seven principles are considered values of the African culture which contribute to the building and reinforcing community among African Americans. The seven principles were created by Dr. Karenga and are the following: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, Faith(1).
Kwanzaa takes place from December 26th to January 1st of each year.
According to the Jewish History website, Chanukah was a miraculous
military victory against the Greeks. However, most Jewish people only have memory of the tiny cruse of oil that proved more miraculous and enduring(5).
The Jewish text entitled, "Talmud" does not say much about what Chanukah is, however, it does say that the most important thing is to "advertise the miracle." The Jewish rabbis gave more emphasis to the miracle of the lights than the military victory. With the "Talmud" not saying much about the holiday it has been subjected to reinterpretation, most notable in the western world where the holiday falls in the month of December(5).
According to the History website, Hanukkah falls near or overlaps with Christmas. For the Year 2022 Hanukkah falls on December 18th - 26th(2).
As maintained by Britannica, Christmas is a christian festival that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Beginning in early 20th century this holiday began to be a secular family holiday where a mythical figure named Santa Claus plays the pivotal role. Christmas is held on December 25th each year due to that specific day being identified as the date of Jesus' birth in 221 by Sextus Julius Africanus.
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