Overview
- Detroit lit its more than 30‑foot Motor City Kwanzaa Kinara, billed by organizers as the world’s tallest, during a downtown program of drumming, dance and the Unity candle.
- San Diego’s WorldBeat Cultural Center began its 45th Annual Kwanzaa with nightly free events and introduced a first‑ever Kwanzaa Awards recognizing community members who embody the seven principles.
- In Chicago, Malcolm X College launched a week of daytime performances, markets and discussions tied to each principle, reflecting more than two decades of citywide Kwanzaa programming.
- Milwaukee’s Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Louisville’s Roots 101 Museum opened with Unity night ceremonies featuring music, poetry and community reflections on the holiday’s purpose.
- In the Sacramento region, a planned State Capitol ceremony was rained out and moved indoors to Rancho Cordova, with the Capitol event rescheduled for Monday at 11:30 a.m.