"Day, it is not widely observed outside of the African-American community, although it is growing in popularity with both African-American and African communities. African-American scholar and activist ""Maulana"" Ron Karenga invented the festival of Kwanzaa in 1966, as an alternative to the increasing commercialization of Christmas. Derived from the harvest rituals of Africans, Kwanzaa is observed each year from December 26 through January 1. Participants in Kwanzaa celebrations affirm their African heritage and the importance of family and community by drinking from a unity cup; lighting red, black, and green candles; exchanging heritage symbols, such as African art; and recounting"
"burned Christmas tree lights during the holidays. The experience gave the Negro a sense of unity that he has generally lacked."" ""The only organized demonstration by local African Americans, until 1963, was the “Christmas Sacrifice.” It involved a blackout of Christmas tree lights as a form of silent protest to racial prejudice. Only six African American houses in Greenville reportedly burned Christmas tree lights during the holidays that year."" The next year, 1964, saw a large increase in Greenville with the hiring of black employees for the Christmas season. Black Christmas (boycott) The Black Christmas Boycott, other wise known as"
"and preaching have been more deliberate. Writers and thinkers emphasize ""Black presence"" in the Christian Bible, including the idea of a ""Black Jesus"". In 1966 Maulana Karenga of the US Organization created Kwanzaa as the first specifically African American holiday. Karenga said his goal was to ""give Blacks an 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."" Many Afrocentrists seek to challenge concepts such as white privilege, color-blind perspectives, and race-neutral pedagogies. There are strong ties between Afrocentricity and Critical race theory. Afrocentrists"
"Black Nativity Black Nativity is a retelling of the classic Nativity story with an entirely black cast. Traditional Christmas carols are sung in gospel style, with a few songs created specifically for the show. Originally written by Langston Hughes, the show was first performed Off-Broadway on December 11, 1961, and was one of the first plays written by an African American to be staged there. The show had a successful tour of Europe in 1962, one of its appearances being at the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds in Italy. ""Black Nativity"" has been performed annually in Boston, Massachusetts at various"
"separate political structure for African-Americans. US developed a youth component with para-military aspects called the Simba Wachanga which advocated and practiced community self-defense and service to the masses. In 1966, Karenga founded the newspaper Harambee, which started as a newsletter for US and eventually became the newspaper for the Los Angeles Black Congress, an umbrella organization for several groups. Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 to be the first pan-African holiday. Karenga said his goal was to ""give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the"
"Black Christmas (boycott) The Black Christmas Boycott, other wise known as the Christmas Sacrifice, took place in Greenville, North Carolina during the Christmas buying season of November-December 1963. Because of segregation laws and customs, during the Christmas season most of the businesses in Greenville refused to hire black employees. In response, the black population of Greenville, which was 33.4% of the town in 1963, decided on a Boycott to protest. They refused to purchase Christmas gifts, lights, decorations or special foods from the companies in downtown Greenville that didn't hire black employees. Later, they decided to only refuse to purchase"
"Kwanzaa Kwanzaa () is a celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the African diaspora in the Americas and lasts a week. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. Kwanzaa has seven core principles (""Nguzo Saba""). It was created by Maulana Karenga and was first celebrated in 1966–67. American Black Power activist and secular humanist Maulana Karenga, also known as Ronald McKinley Everett, created Kwanzaa in 1966, as a specifically African-American holiday, in a spirit comparable to Juneteenth. According to"
"or display Christmas decorations, especially Christmas lights. ""The only demonstration organized and enacted by local Negroes was ""The Christmas Sacrifice"" in December 1963. This was first designed by the Progressive Citizen's Council to be a boycott of the downtown businesses; but after much debate in the Interracial Committee and the Progressive Citizens Council, the boycott idea was amended to be a blackout of Christmas tree lights because it was strongly felt that a street boycott would be confusing to both whites and Negroes. The blackout was very successful. By actual count, there were only six Negro houses in Greenville which"
"employed by downtown businesses in Greenville, during the Christmas sales season. Known as the Black Christmas (boycott) or ""Christmas Sacrifice"", it was an effective way to protest the cultural and fiscal segregation in the town with 33% black population. Light decorations in the homes, on the Christmas trees, or outside the house were not shown, and only six houses in the black community broke the boycott that Christmas. In 1973 during an oil shortage triggered by an embargo called by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (later OPEC) President Nixon asked Americans not to put up Christmas lights as"
"cultural revolution before the violent revolution.The cultural revolution gives identity, purpose and direction."" During the early years of Kwanzaa, Karenga said it was meant to be an alternative to Christmas. He believed Jesus was psychotic and Christianity was a ""White"" religion that Black people should shun. As Kwanzaa gained mainstream adherents, Karenga altered his position so practicing Christians would not be alienated, 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."" Many African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in"
"Umoja Karamu Umoja Karamu, meaning ""unity feast"" in Swahili, is an African-American celebration begun in 1971 by Dr. Edward Sims, Jr. Celebrated in a manner similar to Thanksgiving, Umoja Karamu is held on the fourth Sunday in November. Its purpose is to instill solidarity, black values, and appreciation of black heritage into black families. Prayers, libations to honor ancestors, historical readings, and feasts mark observances. The celebration is based on five periods of African-American life, each represented by a color to be used in the ceremony. The home observance of Umoja Karamu could proceed according to the following order: Community"
"Special guests included characters from Milwaukee Ballet's Nutcracker and the Milwaukee Children's Choir. Refreshments for the celebration were provided by Starbucks. Like many other city–endorsed Christmas tree lightings, the tree lighting in Milwaukee was labeled ""holiday"" rather than ""Christmas"" in 1995 so as not to ""offend non-Christians"". In 2004 and 2005 many cities reversed their decision and re-labeled the tree as ""Christmas"" rather than the generic ""holiday"". Examples include the Capitol Christmas Tree and the California Capitol Christmas Tree. In October 2006, with a 9-5 vote, Milwaukee city council decided to rename the decade's old ""Holiday tree"" to a ""Christmas"
"living in a world where nothing is true is too terrifying to most people, ""nice"" and ""synthetic"" traditions like Kwanzaa have been created to cope with the nihilistic, individualistic modern society.<ref name=""http://ro.uow.edu.au""></ref> Maya Angelou narrated a documentary film about Kwanzaa, ""The Black Candle"", written and directed by M.K. Asante, Jr. and featuring Chuck D. Kwanzaa Kwanzaa () is a celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the African diaspora in the Americas and lasts a week. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a"
"Maulana Karenga Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga, previously known as Ron Karenga, (born July 14, 1941) is an African-American professor of Africana studies, activist and author, best known as the creator of the pan-African and African-American holiday of Kwanzaa. Karenga was active in the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and co-founded with Hakim Jamal the black nationalism and social change organization US. Born in Parsonsburg, Maryland to an African-American family, Karenga studied at Los Angeles City College and the University of California, Los Angeles. During his student years, he involved himself in activism and joined the Congress of Racial"
"on the night before Passover in a symbolic search for chametz, or leavened bread, which is not eaten on Passover. The Candle is also used in celebrations of Kwanzaa, which is an African American holiday which runs from December 26 to January 1. A Kinara is used to hold candles in these celebrations. It holds seven candles; three red candles to represent African American struggles, one black candle to represent the African American people and three green candles to represent African American hopes. For some Humanists the candle is used as a symbol of the light of reason or rationality."
"Whitaker and Angela Bassett was released on November 27, 2013. Black Nativity Black Nativity is a retelling of the classic Nativity story with an entirely black cast. Traditional Christmas carols are sung in gospel style, with a few songs created specifically for the show. Originally written by Langston Hughes, the show was first performed Off-Broadway on December 11, 1961, and was one of the first plays written by an African American to be staged there. The show had a successful tour of Europe in 1962, one of its appearances being at the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds in Italy. ""Black"
"1740, sometimes calling them ""Covenant Renewal Services"". The services provided Methodist Christians with a godly alternative to times of drunken revelry, such as Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Today, a Methodist watchnight service includes singing, spontaneous prayers and testimonials, as well as scripture readings; the liturgy for this service is found in ""The United Methodist Book of Worship"". In the Church of Scotland, the Watchnight service is a popular ceremony marking the beginning of Christmas Day. This is known as Midnight Mass elsewhere. Watchnight service has added significance and history in the African-American community in the United States, since"
"Karamu (feast) A Karamu Ya Imani (""Feast of Feasts"") is a feast that takes place on December 31, the sixth day of the Kwanzaa period. A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the African Pledge and the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual, artistic performance, and, finally, a feast, a Karamu. The Karamu feast was developed in Chicago during a 1971 citywide movement of Pan-African organizations. It was proposed by Hannibal Afrik of Shule"
"observed to commemorate a bumper harvest from the sea as well as performing rituals to thank the 77 gods of Oguaa Traditional Area. The Fetu Afahye was once banned by the then colonial administration of Ghana specifically Cape Coast and termed as ""Black Christmas"" to depict it as a bad traditional phenomenon. The Omanhen at that time, who is named as the Osabarimba Kodwo Mbra V, Okyeame Ekow Atta debunked this conception as misleading. Between 1948 and 1996, the festival finally resumed, after the religious struggle from various important personalities in the Oguaa Traditional Area. The festival is now used"
"Alternative Christmas message The alternative Christmas message is a message broadcast by Channel 4 since 1993, as a sometimes humorous and sometimes serious alternative to the Royal Christmas Message of Queen Elizabeth II. Since 1993, Channel 4 has broadcast an ""alternative Christmas message"" usually featuring a contemporary, often controversial celebrity, delivering a message in the manner of Her Majesty. This tradition started by accident when, running a series of programmes on 'Christmas in New York', the channel invited Quentin Crisp to give an alternative message – playing on the pejorative term 'queen' meaning a very feminine male homosexual. In contrast"
"in 2015 and 2016, respectively. This Christmas (Donny Hathaway song) ""This Christmas"" is a song by American soul musician Donny Hathaway released in 1970 by Atco Records. The song gained renewed interest when it was included in 1991 on Atco Records' revised edition of their 1968 ""Soul Christmas"" compilation album and has since become a modern Christmas standard, with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers reporting that it was the 30th most-performed holiday song of all time. Phil Upchurch said the song was ""absolutely the premiere holiday song written by an African American"". It was written by Hathaway"
"of Peace. In 1966, the 53 Christmas trees of the Pathway of Peace were alternatively lit in all green or all blue lights, and were arranged in an arc around the National Christmas Tree rather than lining the path to it. The following year, the National Christmas Tree was lit with blue lights and encircled with strings of red and white lights, and decorated with gold balls. The tree-topper that year was not a star but a tall gold spire with a base of golden stars. The trees on the Pathway to Peace, however, returned to multi-colored lights. For the"
"observances are very similar, with the following additions: During the ceremony, participants read narratives about each time period as music indicative of the period is played. The five different colors are represented in the foods served in the feast. Currently, the Umoja Karamu is celebrated in homes and churches in several states. Umoja Karamu is said to be growing in popularity. Umoja Karamu Umoja Karamu, meaning ""unity feast"" in Swahili, is an African-American celebration begun in 1971 by Dr. Edward Sims, Jr. Celebrated in a manner similar to Thanksgiving, Umoja Karamu is held on the fourth Sunday in November. Its"
"here in New England"" in 1856. ""The old puritan feeling prevents it from being a cheerful, hearty holiday; though every year makes it more so."" In Reading, Pennsylvania, a newspaper remarked in 1861, ""Even our presbyterian friends who have hitherto steadfastly ignored Christmas—threw open their church doors and assembled in force to celebrate the anniversary of the Savior's birth."" The First Congregational Church of Rockford, Illinois, ""although of genuine Puritan stock"", was 'preparing for a grand Christmas jubilee', a news correspondent reported in 1864. By 1860, fourteen states including several from New England had adopted Christmas as a legal holiday."
"Christians, African-American Christians sometimes participate in or attend a Christmas play. ""Black Nativity"" by Langston Hughes is a re-telling of the classic Nativity story with gospel music. Productions can be found at black theaters and churches all over the country. The Three Wise Men are typically played by prominent members of the black community. Throughout U.S. history, religious preferences and racial segregation have fostered development of separate black church denominations, as well as black churches within white denominations. The first of these churches was the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). In the late 18th century, former slave Richard Allen, a"
"praising him for his organizing activities and commitment to black empowerment. In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Maulana Karenga on his list of ""100 Greatest African Americans"". Maulana Karenga Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga, previously known as Ron Karenga, (born July 14, 1941) is an African-American professor of Africana studies, activist and author, best known as the creator of the pan-African and African-American holiday of Kwanzaa. Karenga was active in the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and co-founded with Hakim Jamal the black nationalism and social change organization US. Born in Parsonsburg, Maryland to an African-American family, Karenga"
"painful"". In 1973, Michelle collaborated with actors Judy Pace and Lillian Lehman to found Kwanza, a Hollywood, California-based nonprofit organization named after the African diaspora celebration Kwanzaa. Run entirely by African American actresses on a volunteer basis, Kwanza initially provided food to people in need at Christmas. Michelle and the other two co-founders each enlisted five other African American actresses to volunteer with the organization and, together, they raised enough funds to provide food to 75 families that first Christmas. By 1976, the organization had fed more than 2000 individuals and had expanded to function year-round. Michelle is best known"
"opposition member of parliament and former president Ronald Venetiaan called for an official ban on Sinterklaas because he considers Zwarte Piet to be a racist element. In 1970 the Surinamese playwright Eugène Drenthe envisioned the character of ""Gudu Ppa"" (""Father of Riches"" in Sranantongo) as a postcolonial replacement of Sinterklaas. Instead of a white man, Gudu Ppa was black. His helpers symbolized Suriname's different ethnic groups, replacing Zwarte Piet. 5 December was officially renamed ""Kinderdag"" (""Children's Day"") in Suriname. Although promoted by the military regime in the eighties, Gudu Ppa never really caught on. ""Sinterklaas"" is the basis for the"
"ceremony on November 25, 1966, for the first time in six years. Easton Mayor George S. Smith flipped the switch, and the candle was once again dedicated to the local men and women of the armed forces. More than 400 people attended the ceremony, which this year also included 68 Christmas trees decorated with 1,500 lights. In the fall of 1967, it was decided the Christmas Candle would be renamed the Peace Candle, because the city planned to sell Christmas cards depicting the structure and hoped Easton would become known as ""the Peace Candle city"". On October 18, the city's"
"this Christmas""; saying he goes to Ghana yearly for the sole purpose of peace and joy, so singing such lyrics would be a blatant lie. A parody version entitled ""Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?"" was created to poke fun at the lyrics in the original version. In the 2014 version, several lyrics that were previously criticised were rewritten, and the song was changed to focus on Ebola rather than the original version's famine. The new lyrics have also been criticised for stereotypes and condescension. Geldof and Ure themselves later recognised the musical limitations of ""Do They Know It's Christmas?"": in"
"Columbia Choir. ""The Christmas Waltz"" was written for Frank Sinatra and debuted as the flipside to his 1954 cover of ""White Christmas"". ""It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"" was written for ""The Andy Williams Show"" and first appeared on ""The Andy Williams Christmas Album"" in 1963. ""We Need a Little Christmas"" was first performed in the 1966 Broadway musical ""Mame"". ""Where Can I Find Christmas?"" comes from the 1973 TV special ""The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas"", and the medley of ""Every Christmas Eve"" and ""Giving (Santa's Theme)"" was part of the soundtrack of the 1985 film """"."
"celebrations in areas where the day was not previously celebrated. Since the 1980s and 1990s, the holiday has been more widely celebrated among African-American communities. In 1994 a group of community leaders gathered at Christian Unity Baptist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana to work for greater national celebration of Juneteenth. Expatriates have celebrated it in cities abroad, such as Paris. Some US military bases in other countries sponsor celebrations, in addition to those of private groups. Although the holiday is still mostly unknown outside African-American communities, it has gained mainstream awareness through depictions in entertainment media, such as episodes of"
"relations toward nonresidents. In 1970, Christmas City and the Chamber of Commerce joined forces to promote a new look for the city. Postcards, bumper stickers, billboards were designed to establish the city as Christmas City U.S.A. The name was even trademarked to preserve the city's identity. In 1991, Mayor Ron Mowery, Mark Erlewine, and a group of interested citizens decided to make Marion live up to its name. By combining the Mississinewa Riverwalk—the 2.25 mile walkway which is used year around for jogging, walking and more—and holiday lights and lighted displays, the Christmas City Walkway of Lights was established in"