Christmas might be the big celebration in December, but it certainly isn’t the only one that offers fun for families. The cold and snowy final month of the year also features other religious and historical holidays, alongside cultural ones like Kwanzaa.
During this holiday, which runs Dec. 26-Jan. 1 every year, Americans of African descent from all over the country gather to celebrate African heritage.
This includes learning about the seven principles of Kwanzaa – unity, self-determination, work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
In metro Detroit and Ann Arbor, cultural institutions and organizations step these celebrations up a notch with a variety of Kwanzaa family events for the whole family. Here are some of our favorite virtual happenings in 2020.
Kwanzaa Celebration Wayne State University in Detroit
Dec. 10, 2020
- Location: Virtual
- Time: 6-7:30 p.m.
- Cost: Free
The Black Student Union and Department of African American Studies at Wayne State University put on this 13th annual interactive event, which teaches about the origins os Kwanzaa. Join in on Zoom.
Virtual Kwanzaa Concert
Dec. 12, 2020
- Location: Virtual
- Time: 3 p.m.
- Cost: $10/person
See student performances in celebration of Kwanzaa and its seven principles.
It’s a Kwanzaa Celebration
Dec. 26, 2020
- Location: Virtual
- Time: 5 p.m.
- Cost: Donations
This online program offers streamed performances that celebrate the holiday.
Kwanzaa Karaoke
Dec. 26, 2020
- Location: Virtual
- Time: 8 p.m.
- Cost: $7/person
During this event, families will sing songs that embody the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Kwanzaa by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Dec. 26, 2020-Jan. 1, 2021
- Location: Virtual
- Time: 7 p.m. daily
- Cost: Free
The Wright Museum has teamed up with seven partners to celebrate the 7 principles of Kwanzaa through streams of song, dance, poetry and storytelling.
Do you know of any other Kwanzaa family events in southeast Michigan? Tell us about them in the comments.
This post was originally posted in 2018 and is updated regularly.
