Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Upperman African American Cultural Center at the University of North Carolina Wilmington will host its fourth annual community Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, in the Warwick Center. The celebration is free and open to the public. A new element this year is a Kwanzaa feast featuring a taste of foods found throughout the African diaspora.

Special guest Molefi K. Asante, professor of African American Studies at Temple University, will preside over this year's celebration. Asante has been recognized as one of the 10 most widely cited African Americans. A prolific writer, he has published more than 70 books and written more than 400 articles and essays for journals, books and magazines. He became chair of Temple's African American Studies program in 1984 and created the first doctoral program in the discipline in 1987.

Everyone is invited to experience the traditions, rituals and symbolism of Kwanzaa.

Participants will learn the Nguzo Saba, the seven principles of Kwanzaa, and how each of these aspects plays a role in the development and sustainability of this cultural celebration. Activities will also include musical, drum and dance performances.

Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African cultural holiday that celebrates family, community and culture. Celebrated from December 26 through January 1, its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits" in Swahili, the most widely spoken African language.

Media contact:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.508.3127 or fischettid@uncw.edu