kinara to display the candles, a unity cup, and ears of
corn. A candle is lit each night, representing a spe-
cific Kwanzaa principle.
The 1990’s saw a huge rise in the number of Afri-
can American families celebrating Kwanzaa. An-
nual Kwanzaa celebrations were evident at black
churches, local and national organizations, schools,
college campuses, and homes. The commercializa-
tion of Kwanzaa became evident when retailers such
as J. C. Penney, Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, and
Kmart began carrying Kwanzaa supplies. Hallmark
began mass-producing Kwanzaa greeting cards. It
is estimated that over five million African Ameri-
cans celebrate Kwanzaa, and it is a more than $700-
million industry. Kwanzaa expos became popular
in U.S. cities. In 1997, the first Kwanzaa stamp was
issued by the U.S. Postal Service on October 22. In
the late 1990’s, President Bill Clinton discussed Kwan-
zaa in a White House speech affirming its principles
and celebration of African American culture.
It is believed that the rise of the African American
middle class and the acceptance of multiculturalism
contributed to the popularization of Kwanzaa as cor-
porate America recognized the buying power of
black consumers. It is mostly celebrated by African
American middle-class families.The commercializa-
tion of Kwanzaa has led some critics to state that to-
day’s Kwanzaa has drifted away from some of its orig-
inal ideals. One criticism is that Kwanzaa supplies
are not often bought from black-owned businesses.
However, African American and commercial Kwan-
zaa suppliers have benefited from Kwanzaa’s in-
creased popularity. The Kwanzaa holiday is a popu-
lar subject in children’s books, cookbooks, and
African American magazines.Impact The popularization of Kwanzaa celebrations
by African Americans in the 1990’s represented cor-
porate America’s long-overdue recognition of the
buying power of African American consumers.494 Kwanzaa The Nineties in America
A woman lights a candle in her home to mark the start of the celebration of Kwanzaa.(AP/Wide World Photos)