35th Kwanzaa celebration brings food and more to Jackson
JACKSON, Tenn. – A celebration for the community that unites all people took place Thursday evening.
The Society for African American Cultural Awareness hosted its 35th annual community Kwanzaa celebration.
This was a free event open to the public that was filled with fun, information, and food.
The celebration of Kwanzaa, which started in 1966, is a non-religious African-American holiday that celebrates family, community, and culture.
WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News Reporter Kaitlin Nichelson spoke to the President of SAACA, Wendy Trice Martin, who says these principles can take us through life and not just for the seven days of celebrating the holiday.
“Dr. Maulana Karenga started Kwanzaa during the Civil Rights era to make sure that we, as African Americans, were celebrating and embracing our African ancestry,” Martin said.
A special performance called “Umoja” was performed by the unique line dancers.
Since the dance represented unity, community members along with the dancers stepped the night away to the song “I’ll Always Be Thankful” by The Pace Sisters.
“Umoja is simply unity, bringing together people, all people, to not only celebrate our race, but all races and our history,” Martin said.
James Theus and Gertrude Copeland also paid libation, the pouring of a drink as an offering, at the celebration.
Community members also sang songs and stated The Black Family Pledge in unison.
Martin stated that as a young child, it has been instilled in her to know herself. One of those people was her mother, who was the first generation in her family to go to college as well as other family members.
“Luckily, my father was an HBCU grad, as well as my mother,” Martin said.
Martin says the SAACA organization’s goal is to bring cultural awareness to the community.
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