Malcolm X College to Host Kwanzaa Celebration and Market, Free and Open to the Public, Dec 26-thru Jan 1, 2025

CHICAGO—(December 13, 2024) – Malcolm X College, one of the seven City Colleges of Chicago, has a strong history of celebrating Kwanzaa and for more than 18 years. The celebration and marketplace will kick off on Thursday, December 26, 2024  through January 1, 2025. Daily hours are from  10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Every day at noon, the program starts with a Drum Call, Libation, recounting Kwanzaa history, lighting of the candles and sharing the principal of the day, culminating with a performance.

“I appreciate Malcolm X College for bringing our community together and strengthening our bonds through the celebration of Kwanzaa,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “The seven days of Kwanzaa are a cherished time where we can reaffirm our unity and love for one another and uplift our cultural traditions. I hope this holiday season and Malcolm X Colleges’ celebration spreads warmth and peace throughout our city.”

“Our Kwanzaa celebration is an integral part of the culture of our community, our city and Malcolm X College. I’m honored to host this annual event and it is my hope that everyone takes advantage of this free offering and gathers with us to celebrate the importance and the historical significance of Kwanzaa,” said Dr. David Sanders, president of Malcolm X College.

Two very special events, Ms. Zenobia Black will be honored on December 27, and U.S. Representative Danny Davis will be honored on January 1, 2025. The program begins at noon on both days.

The performance schedule is as follows and start times are approximate:

Date                                  Time                                 Performer

Dec 26                              12:30pm                          Najwa Dance Corps and the Windy City Ramblers

Dec 27                              12:30pm                          Theophilus Reed and Band (Jazz)

Dec 28                              12:30pm                          Khalidah’s North African Middle Eastern Dance

Dec 29                              12:30pm                          Chi-Village Day

Dec 30                              12:30pm                          Moya Cultural Arts Drum and Dance Group

Dec 31                              12:30pm                          TOCA LIVE – Tony Carpenter

Jan 1, 2025                     12:30pm                          Ayodele Drum and Dance

A children’s reading circle will also be held each day at 11:00 a.m.

The event celebrating Kwanzaa is free and open to the public and all will enjoy live performances and shopping, courtesy of local artisans. Items for sale include handmade and exquisite jewelry, African clothing, African inspired art, African drums, leather goods, pottery, traditional music instruments, specialty soaps and candles, more.

Kwanza is an annual celebration of African-American culture that is held from December 26 to January 1. It was created by Maulana Karenga and is rooted in the  African Harvest festival traditions from various countries. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966 and celebrates the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba. These seven principles comprise Kawaida, a Swahili word meaning “common philosophy.”

Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles, as follows:

• Umoja (Unity, Dec 26): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination, Dec 27 ): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves.
• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility, Dec 28): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and to solve them together.
• Ujamaa (Cooperative economics, Dec 29): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
• Nia (Purpose, Dec 30): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
• Kuumba (Creativity, Dec 31): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
• Imani (Faith, Jan 1, 2025): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

The Kwanzaa celebration and market will be held on the first floor of Malcolm X College, located at 1900 W. Jackson Boulevard in Chicago. Free parking with validation is available in Malcolm X College’s parking deck which can be accessed from Jackson Street. For more information or to RSVP, click on this link: Malcolm X: Kwanzaa 2024 – CCC