Dec. 26 marks the beginning of Kwanzaa, the seven-night celebration of African American and Pan-African culture. The holiday has grown to be celebrated by millions across the world, strengthening roots to both African heritage and the African community as a whole.
Here s what you need to know about Kwanzaa:
What are the origins of the holiday?
Dr. Maulana Karenga greets people during the First Day of Issuance dedication ceremony for the U.S. Postal Service s first-ever Kwanzaa stamp, in Los Angeles, Oct. 22, 1997.
Reed Saxon/AP
Dr. Maulana Karenga, an influential professor of Africana studies at California State University, Long Beach, created Kwanzaa in 1966 during the Black Freedom Movement.