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Buffalo Kwanzaa Celebrations
Sharon and Kenneth Holley began participating and celebrating the Kwanzaa holiday in the early 1970s. The Buffalo community celebrated the Kwanzaa holiday at the Watu center on Jefferson Avenue, the Center for Positive Thought on East Utica Street and the African American Cultural Center on Masten Avenue; these were often one-day events. Sharon and Kenneth attended and even participated in these early celebrations that brought the African American community of Buffalo together through dance, music, poetry and dialog. It was these first celebrations that the Kwanzaa Committee of Buffalo came into being. The committee was coordinated by Sharon and Kenneth, from the store Harambee Books and Crafts, which called together the various leaders from the community centers and suggested coordinating the Kwanzaa programs so that there would be no competition for the same day and there would be numerous venues for the public to attend. Sharon and Kenneth Holley have facilitated and became the co-coordinators for the city-wide Kwanzaa program for over 21 years. As a result of the Kwanzaa Committee there are now six nights of celebration in several community centers, churches and other institutions throughout the city of Buffalo. The committee has also produced the journal, fundraising, coordinated the community feast, planned vendor space, did publicity, set-up opening ceremonies and cared for the Kwanzaa symbols and decorations used each year. Click here for an a brief history on the celebration of Kwanzaa and the index for the collection.
Committee Meetings Celebration Programs Newspaper Articles
Photographs
Books & Papers
Miscellaneous
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