Today we celebrate the seventh day of Kwanzaa, Imani, meaning faith. Today’s principle is to believe with all our hearts in our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
A song for reflection: Keep Your Head to the Sky, Earth, Wind, and Fire
Thought of the day: Poem, “For my People” by Margaret Walker
Learn more about the principles of Kwanzaa at: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/seven-principles-kwanzaa
Today we celebrate the sixth day of Kwanzaa, Kuumba, meaning creativity. Today’s principle is to do always as much as we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
A song for reflection: Africa, John Coltrane
Thought of the day: Jones, Leroi (Amiri Baraka). Bles People: Negro Music in White America. William Morrow, 1963. Introduction, ix-x.
Learn more about the principles of Kwanzaa at: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/seven-principles-kwanzaa
Today we celebrate the fifth day of Kwanzaa, Nia, meaning purpose. Today’s principle is to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
A song for reflection: Higher Ground, Stevie Wonder
Thought of the day: Poem About My Rights by June Jordan
Learn more about the principles of Kwanzaa at: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/seven-principles-kwanzaa
Today we celebrate the fourth day of Kwanzaa, Ujamaa, meaning cooperative economics. Today’s principle is to build and maintain our stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
A song for reflection: We’re a Winner, Curtis Mayfield
Thought for the day: Davis, Angela. Angela Davis: An Autobiography. Random House. Inc., 1974. pp. 89
Learn more about the principles of Kwanzaa at: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/seven-principles-kwanzaa
Today we celebrate the third day of Kwanzaa, Ujima, meaning collective work and responsibility. Today’s principle is to build and maintain our community together and make our community’s problems our problems and to solve them together.
A song for reflection: Optimistic, Sounds of Blackness
Thought for the day: Wilkerson, Isabel. The Warmth of Other Suns. Random House, 2010. pp. 538
Learn more about the principles of Kwanzaa at: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/seven-principles-kwanzaa
Today we celebrate the second day of Kwanzaa, Kujichagulia, meaning self-determination. Today’s principle is to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
A song for reflection: I am the Black Gold of the Sun, Rotary COnnection & Minnie Riperton
Thought for the day: Black, Daniel, The Coming. St. Martin’s Press, New York. 2015. pp. 9-10
Learn more about the principles of Kwanzaa at:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/seven-principles-kwanzaa
Today we celebrate the first day of Kwanzaa, Umoja, meaning unity. Today’s principle is to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
A song for reflection: Worth Weight in Gold (Rally Round the Flag), Steel Pulse.
Thought for the day: Morrison, Toni, Beloved, First Edition, Alfred A. Knopf 1987. pp 88
Learn more about the principles of Kwanzaa at: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/seven-principles-kwanzaa