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Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today joined members of the African American community in preparing for the upcoming Kwanzaa holiday with a candlelight ceremony at the Surrogate's Courthouse in Lower Manhattan. Kwanzaa, which is celebrated from December 26th through January 1st, pays tribute to the rich cultural roots of Americans of African ancestry. It begins with the lighting of the Kinara, a candle holder which holds seven candles -- three green, three red and one black -- representing the seven principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self determination, work/responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.
Joining the Mayor at the ceremony were Deputy Mayor for Community Development and Business Services Rudy Washington, Richard Green, Crown Heights Youth Collective, Inc Chief Executive and the New York Boys Choir.
"It's a great pleasure to be here at the Kwanzaa candlelighting ceremony," Mayor Giuliani said. "The seven principles of Kwanzaa mirror the founding principles of our society. We recognize these principles as central not only to the strength and success of African-American New Yorkers, but of all New Yorkers.
"The light that I will illuminate, the light of unity, is a reminder that we must recognize and cherish our differences," the Mayor continued. "It's so important to celebrate our differences with one another -- to teach each other about the many histories of our people, the many cultures that make New York City the most vibrant place in the world. That's ultimately how we learn to come together -- by seeing people trace their own heritages and cultures, and recognizing that, even though there may be differences between us, we are the same in the most fundamental ways. We all want to create a compassionate City, and a City of opportunity, for ourselves and our children.
The celebration of Kwanzaa was originated in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor of African American History at California State University.