Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
The Greensboro Kwanzaa Collective selected the late community servant, Yvonne Johnson, as the Honored Ancestor on the first day of Kwanzaa—Umoja or Unity. Starting in 1993, Johnson served as an at-large city councilperson on the Greensboro City Council for 14 years. She was Greensboro’s first African American mayor, serving from 2007 to 2009 and as mayor pro tem for 6 years. She died on December 4, 2024, leaving a distinguished legacy of public service. Johnson’s children, along with several family members and scores of holiday participants, listened to highlights of her dedication to assisting people in need.
This year’s first night of Kwanzaa (Dec. 26) was held at Peeler Recreation Center. During the seven-day festival celebrating African American heritage, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, leaders of the Greensboro Kwanzaa Collective conducted a solemn libation ceremony to remember the wisdom and knowledge of elders and ancestors. Ceremony participants conveyed the names of forebearers as they poured water into a plant to symbolize the continuity of life. This is the fifteenth year the Greensboro Kwanzaa Collective has organized the celebration.
Each day, the celebration begins with the joyful drumbeat of traditional African rhythms, driving forward a parade of women, many in colorful African attire, swaying and moving to the captivating beat, prompting hand clapping, foot stomping and smiles among the attendees. As the drums settle, leaders engage the audience with a call and response of the traditional Swahili greeting, “Habari Gani” for “how’s it going,” prompting the day’s response, corresponding to Kwanzaa’s Nguzo Saba or Seven Principles. Day 1, Umoja/Unity; Day 2, Kujichagulia/Self Determination; Day 3, Ujima/Collective Work and Responsibility; Day 4, Ujamaa/Cooperative Economics; Day 5, Nia/Purpose; Day 6, Kuumba/Creativity; Day 7, Imani/Faith.
After the singing of James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson’s Lift Ev’ry Voice, Kwanzaa organizer Dawn Omilade Tafari and colleagues provided an overview of the celebration. As she stood behind a colorful table with the cultural celebration’s key symbols —most notably the seven-branch Kanara — Tafari, exclaimed, “Habari Gani,” waited for the response, then provided an educational refresher and grounding context for the people attending their first Kwanzaa celebration.
In addition to honoring ancestors, each day of Kwanzaa provides a marketplace of African goods and services, plus musical interludes, poetry readings, and workshops on cultural cohesion, all linked to the Nguzo Saba. Also, a community leader is recognized daily for their achievements related to the Seven Principles.
