Kwanzaa is a week-long holiday dedicated to celebrating African culture and traditions, observed annually from December 26 to January 1. Proposed by African-American leader Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa was first celebrated between December 1966 and January 1967,

Kwanzaa, which begins today, is a seven-day celebration created during the civil rights movement that focuses on cultivating and appreciating the lives of African Americans, their past and present.