"Generally-speaking, for most African Americans, the only day that our captive ancestors (so-called “slaves”) had off was Christmas Day..."
Dear friends,
While I started celebrating Kwanzaa the first year that my oldest child, Kwame, was born (1975), I've continued to honor Christmas Day, for the simple reason that my forebears on my Father's side were held captive in North Carolina (Tar Heel and Black Cherokee), propr to the North American Civil War or as Profesor Lloyd Hogan calls it: The First War of Black Liberation.
Generally-speaking, for most African Americans, the only day that our captive ancestors (so-called “slaves”) had off was Christmas Day. Later, July 4th was added, after the so-called War of Independence. Moreover, imagine the thrill of those two days for them. How can we dare be so cute and snooty - or "nationalistic" - not to celebrate that special day for them in memory? After all, the histort of humankind is the story of generations NOT the deeds done by male monarchs, military people, or ministers.
Consequently, while I still hold Kwanzaa in the highest favor, at least to me, we should celebrate Christmas Day itself in the same context that many of us celebrate Juneteenth. Dig? Additionally, we can then leave all of the gift-giving stuff for Christmas Day and allow our energy for Kwanzaa to be used for its most significant purpose, that is, family and community discussion.
Merry Christmas!!!
G. Djata Bumpus
http://docsouth.unc.edu/highlights/holidays.html
Thursday, December 5, 2013
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3 comments:
This is a very interesting and unusual perspective on the Kwanzaa-Christmas dichotomy. The approach you propose assuages the cognitive dissonance suffered by some African Americans over this issue.
Thanxfor that response, Brother....that was exactly what I was trying to di with it...Cheers!!!!
This is definately thinking out of the box....a new perspective on the holiday...and one that I will remember each Christmas. Thanks for the wisdom Djata....
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