On the second day of Kwanzaa, the community in Hartford gathered to celebrate the cultural holiday.
“It’s not a religious holiday,” said Kamora Le’Ella Herrington, who organized the event. “It’s a communal, collective holiday for Black Americans to come together and remember who we are.”
Kwanzaa was first observed in 1966 and celebrates African-American and Pan-African culture, history and values, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture at the Smithsonian Institution.
“It’s a place for African-Americans to not dwell in the sadness of slavery. Not dwell on how institutional racism affects us, but dwell in what happens when we get together in our blackness and do wonderful great things together," Herrington said.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
The holiday is seven days long and based on the seven principles. These principles are Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani.
These principles celebrate unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose and creativity.
“Inside the community, I think it’s important that people know that they have a safe space to celebrate themselves and learn about themselves,” said Michael Davis, who traveled from Middletown to celebrate his first Kwanzaa. “I think it’s important for everyone to learn about because it’s respect to the Black community as well.”
Local
Davis came with his wife Hailey Green, who said it’s also her first Kwanzaa.
“I wanted to be true to myself. Learn more about myself and my husband,” Green said. “I wanted to gather with my community. I wanted to meet my ancestors and elders.”
Kwanzaa ends on Jan. 1.
