We lit our candles each day on the kinara, and revisited each of the seven principles, intended to instill values that could keep our people unified and in touch with our African roots. My mom, Imani,

The annual celebration of African-American culture honors 7 principles, one for each day, teaching lessons for families to live by. The first one is Umoja, which represents unity. Kwanzaa runs through January 1.

If you'd like to celebrate, there will be Kwanzaa events across Michigan this season. Here's what to know. Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning. Kwanzaa is a weeklong African American and Pan-African holiday celebrating culture and community.

Every year on December 26, the annual commemoration of African-American culture that is Kwanzaa begins.Observed predominantly in the US and across nations of the African diaspora in the Americas, people celebrating Kwanzaa honour their African ancestry by exchanging presents and enjoying a large feast with loved ones.

The week-long celebration of African American culture runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. READ MORE: It is especially surprising that one of the first federal agencies to come under scrutiny from the incoming administration is one that has returned billions of dollars to many of the same consumers who were counting on leaders in Washington to look out for their wallets.