The African proverb says “a human being needs help.” The intent of this proverb, anchored in ethical and philosophical foundations of the 7 Principles of Kwanzaa, is just not to explain the world, but as APJ Roux asserts, “to prescribe a line of conduct.” In fact, in the context of the African worldview, humans...
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Central and essential to the restoration and revitalization of black and poor neighborhoods is establishment of community standards or norms. Community norms set the standard of right and wrong behavior. The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa are well-suited to serve as community standards for African American neighborhoods. What is important here and can not be...
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Continuing Series Kwanzaa places a premium and priority on the value of children. The Kwanzaa symbol Corn/Muhindi represents children. All families regardless of whether they have children place ears of corn on the Kwanzaa “Mat” in recognition that everyone is responsible for the care, welfare, and development of children. The African American community-based parenting...
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Continuing Series You hearers seers, imaginers, thinkers, remembers, you prophets call to communicate truths of the living way to a people fascinated unto death, you called to link memory with fore listening, to join the uncountable seasons of our flowing to unknown tomorrows more numerous, communicators doomed to pass on truths of our origins...
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Part One Parents of all races and nationalities are crying out for help. Parenting classes have grown exponentially. Parents in too many instances have lost control of their children and are at the mercy of the child welfare or juvenile justice system. The profile of American children suggests that something is terribly wrong. More...
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Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday organized around the 7 Principles. These seven guiding principles form the building blacks for family nurturing and development, thriving children and youth, and restoration of a network of community caring. Hence, these instructional values give Kwanzaa its importance beyond the 7 day cultural celebration which occurs each year December...
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Happy Kwanzaa Faith/Imani: Trusting and believing with our heart and mind in ourselves, our parents, our teachers, and our leaders and our capacity as a people to make a better world Imani Message The Imani principle is the bedrock principle. Mary McLeod Bethune teaches us that “Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing...
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Happy Kwanzaa Faith/Imani: Trusting and believing with our heart and mind in ourselves, our parents, our teachers, and our leaders and our capacity as a people to make a better world Imani Message The Imani principle is the bedrock principle. Mary McLeod Bethune teaches us that “Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing...
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Happy Kwanzaa Creativity/Kuumba: Working diligently to continuously enhance our families, neighborhoods and people Kuumba Message The Kuumba principle is teaches that both children and adults should strive for continuous improvement. This principle is central and essential to the restoration of academic excellence for African American youth. Rediscovering an achievement ethic in education and professional...
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Happy Kwanzaa Purpose/Nia: Fulfilling our duty and obligation to contribute to the high and morally serious purpose of nation-building, i.e. , the quest to recover and restore our people to their traditional greatness Nia Message Charles Hamilton, the intellectual giant who built from scratch the intellectual and framework and the legal strategy and infrastructure...
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