Milwaukee enjoys a long history with Kwanzaa, the weeklong holiday that starts Dec. 26. In 1967, the city saw the second-ever public celebration of the holiday, says Clayborn Benson III, the founder and executive director of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum. “Kwanzaa has always been important to this community,” he says. Kwanzaa founder Maulana Karenga attended the ’67 event, which followed the 1966 inaugural celebration in the Los Angeles area.
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Kwanzaa is a time to reaffirm African roots, pay tribute to ancestors, review the year past and prepare for the year ahead, says Benson. Kwanzaa doesn’t preclude celebrating Christmas or other holidays.
Today, Kwanzaa, grounded in African harvest festivals, is marked at spots around the city, including ministry The Table. “We gather to reflect and share, to honor and ‘harvest’ our success, our efforts, our stories,” says Venice Williams, minister for The Table.
The Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum hosts the state’s biggest Kwanzaa event, says Benson, who expects at least 500 people to attend. “It’s a packed house.”
The Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum (2620 W. Center St.) hosts its Kwanzaa event Dec. 26. The Table (5305 W. Capitol Dr.) is holding Kwanzaa events Dec. 3, 17 and 27.
