TAMPA, Fla. — Many people in the Tampa Bay area are celebrating Kwanzaa, a seven-day African-American holiday that begins on December 26. and ends on January 1.
“Kwanzaa is important to our entire community because it represents family, community and togetherness,” said the Rev. Dr. Glenn B. Dames, Jr., pastor of Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Tampa.
Pastor Dames, Jr. said many of his parishioners celebrate the holiday.
Kwanzaa was created in 1966 to unify and empower African Americans after the Watts Riot in Los Angeles. Many people celebrate Kwanzaa to pay tribute to their ancestry.
“So, it teaches us pride, but it also teaches us respect for other people,” said Pastor Dames, Jr.
On each Kwanzaa day, a candle is lit representing one of the seven Kwanzaa principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economy, purpose, creativity, and faith.
“All of those seven principles represent us as a community and the importance of our strength together,” said Pastor Dames, Jr.
The candles are red, black and green. Red represents the blood that was shed for liberation, black represents people of African descent, and green represents hope for the future.
“Those are things that make the African American community rich in heritage, rich in thought,” said Pastor Dames, Jr.
Although the holiday was created and is largely celebrated by African-Americans, anyone can celebrate Kwanzaa and its principles.
