Kwanzaa is a special holiday that was thought up in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga. Dr. Karenga wanted Black Americans to have their own holiday so they could celebrate their own unique history.

The words of Kwanzaa come from Swahili, a language that is from Africa. Swahili is special because no country can claim it as its own. Swahili is spoken by many different people all over Africa. Dr. Karenga chose it because it helps Black Americans remember that all of Africa is their ancestral land, not just one area or one country.

The name "Kwanzaa" means "the first fruits of the harvest."