Wilmington’s Kwanzaa tradition highlights unity and the power of community

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Kwanzaa was created in 1966, during the height of the Black Power era, as a way for African Americans to reconnect with their cultural roots and reaffirm shared values of community, family, and responsibility. 

Celebrated each year from December 26th to January 1st, Kwanzaa is a cultural observance, welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds to reflect on seven guiding principles known as the Nguzo Saba. 

Those principles –– Unity (Umoja), Self-Determination (Kujichagulia), Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima), Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa), Purpose (Nia), Creativity (Kuumba), and Faith (Imani) –– serve as the foundation of Kwanzaa celebrations across the country. Each day, a candle is lit to honor one principle, creating space for reflection, conversation, and community connection.

In Wilmington, that tradition has been carried on for more than three decades. For 30 years, an organization known as the African Connection led the city’s Kwanzaa celebrations before passing the responsibility to Culture Restoration Project Inc. five years ago.

“They approached us and asked if they could pass the baton over to us. We said absolutely we accepted and we now maintain the responsibility of Kwanza in the city of Wilmington,” said Richard Watson, program director of Culture Restoration Project Inc. “We were honored to accept that responsibility and continue this celebration of African-American culture and history.”

Watson said Kwanzaa was modeled after harvest festivals found throughout Africa, blending traditions to create a unifying observance for people of African descent across the diaspora. The word ‘Kwanzaa’ itself comes from a Swahili phrase meaning ‘first fruits.’

“It’s a celebration that was established to bring African-Americans together and to celebrate their culture, their heritage, and to reaffirm communal values, community values,” Watson said. 

While all seven principles remain constant each year, Watson said two feel especially relevant in today’s social and political climate: Umoja and Ujima.

“The third principle in my opinion is Ujima, which is collective work and responsibility to build and to maintain our community together and to make our community’s problems our problems and to solve them together,” he said. “I think that is reflective of the time in which we live.”

That emphasis on unity is reflected in Umoja, the first principle of Kwanzaa. Each celebration begins by asking what it means to truly stand together as a people –– acknowledging challenges while committing to collective progress.

“We don’t have to agree wholeheartedly on everything, but there are some commonalities and some things that need our attention,” Watson said. “We should focus on those things and unite on those things so that we can have a better working community.”

Kwanzaa celebrations this year include two free community events. On December 27, the organization will host Kwanzaa Soko –– a marketplace celebration –– from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Police Athletic League on North Market Street. The event includes free food, arts and crafts, cultural vendors, music, and dance performances. A second, smaller celebration will take place December 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Route 9 Library in New Castle county.

Watson said the goal is to ensure Kwanzaa remains accessible and community-centered, even as the celebration continues to grow.

“For us when we talk about Kwanza, Kwanza doesn’t exist without the elders, the children and the adults,” Watson said. “We need all the men, women, and children. We need everyone in the community to take an active role. That’s how we restore community.”

Additional Kwanzaa celebrations are also taking place across Delaware throughout the next week, including a series of community events in Sussex County as part of a week-long celebration and another special gathering in Kent County this Saturday.