Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Ramona Bass-Kolobe is organizing a Kwanzaa celebration for Sunday at St. Michael Church, in South Providence. Journal photo / Kris Craig

Kwanzaa, the African-American holiday created in 1966 by African-American scholar and social activist Ron Karenga begins today and runs through New Year's Day.

While Kwanzaa is often celebrated privately in homes, at least two public celebrations of the holiday are planned in Rhode Island for this weekend.

The Mixed Magic Theatre in Pawtucket, at 171 Main St., has added two more performances of its 10th annual "A Kwanzaa Song." Tickets for the 3 p.m. shows tomorrow and Sunday are $10. Call (401) 305-7333 to reserve seats. A candle lighting ceremony will follow each performance.

St. Michael Church in Providence, which has hosted Kwanzaa celebrations in the past, is hosting what organizer Ramona Bass-Kolobe calls a Kwanzaa Extravaganza on Sunday. She's working with the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, which has joined with other local organizations to plan the 6 to 8 p.m. event at the church at 239 Oxford St. The extravaganza includes a candle-lighting ceremony of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, a play and a puppet show with a reading and a family sing and move-along.

"Kwanzaa is about families within a community," Bass-Kolobe says. "It's not isolated families. It's about families pulling together, so the community celebration is to reinforce within the family -- what are the values we're taking through the year?"

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