Here's Everything You Need to Know About Kwanzaa

What to Know About Kwanzaa.

Here are some facts about the African-American holiday that is typically celebrated around Christmas.

Annually, Kwanzaa is held from December 26 until New Years Day.

Each day, a candle is lit on a seven-branched candelabra to honor African Americans' past, present and future.

Gifts are also exchanged and on December 31, participants hold a feast called "karamu.".

The candle lighting is also meant to celebrate principles, which include collective responsibility, purpose and faith.

Other principles are unity, self-determination, creativity and cooperative economics.

Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase, "matunda ya kwanza.".

In the language, this means "fresh fruit.".

It was created back in 1966 by California State University professor Maulana Karenga.

Karenga, who taught Pan-African studies, meant for Kwanzaa to be a nonreligious way of celebrating one's values.

She also started it to help African-Americans celebrates their culture