Monday was Kwanzaa. Kamala Harris has a story about how she celebrated Kwanzaa as a child with all the elders and “generations” coming together for a holiday.
When I was growing up, Kwanzaa was a special time in our home. Today, my family and I are reflecting on the seven principles. Happy Kwanzaa! pic.twitter.com/w1pFOIUU9G
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) December 26, 2022
Harris said:
“Doug and I send our warmest wishes to all of you this holiday season. Growing up, Kwanzaa was always a special time. We came together with generations of friends and family and neighbors. There were never enough chairs. So my sister and I and the other children would often sit on the floor and together we lit the candles of the Kinara. And then the elders would talk about how Kwanzaa is a time to celebrate culture, community, and family. And they, of course, taught us about the seven principles. My favorite principle was always the second — Kujichagulia. Self-determination, the power to design your own life and determine your own future. And it is a deeply American principle, one that guides me every day as Vice-President.”
Doug Emhoff’s movement in her mouth when talking about generations coming together is obvious. I wonder if Doug Emhoff believes that this part of the story is about bull cookies.
People who thought she was pandering received lots of feedback.
I love you VP, I really do. But come on … you don’t really expect people to believe this, do you?
— ☺️🇯🇲🇨🇦 (@_nadelizabeth) December 26, 2022
My colleague pointed out that this was an unlikely story, as Kamala wasn’t born until 1964. Kwanzaa wasn’t invented until 1966. Kwanzaa wasn’t widely known until 1966. It was then that Kwanzaa was not widely known.
Some pointed out, however, that the Kwanzaa story could have been more problematic due to the fact that she was raised in Berkeley/Oakland. This is not because of her Caribbean heritage. In her sixties, she might have received a radical slice of it.
Kwanzaa was initially viewed as an alternative Christmas. In his book, Kwanzaa, Keith Mayes, a historian wrote that Karenga believed Christmas had “stood in the way of Black cultural advancement.” Black Power and the Making of the African-American Holiday Tradition.
This is why many people, particularly religious families, didn’t celebrate it in the 1970s. Because of Maulana Katharga’s radical origins and convictions, a black nationalist, he was convicted of felony assault, torture, and false imprisonment for women in 1971. He was freed after only a few years. He was made a professor at Cal State Long Beach in 1975 and now holds the chair for Africana Studies.
But maybe Kamala is trying to catch up to Joe Biden with creatively-embellished history. At least she said “Kwanzaa,” as opposed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) who called it “Schwanzaa.” If you’re going to pander, at least get the name of the holiday correct.
You be the judge of whether Kamala is full of it in the video:
