M.K. Asante, Jr. is an award-winning author, filmmaker, and professor. The Philadelphia Inquirer calls him "a rare, remarkable talent that brings to mind the great artists of the Harlem Renaissance." His father is Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, a leading figure in Black Studies and founder of the theory of Afrocentricity.

The Black Candle is a landmark, vibrant documentary film that uses Kwanzaa as a vehicle to explore and celebrate the African-American experience. Narrated by world renowned poet Maya Angelou and directed by award-winning author and filmmaker M.K. Asante, Jr., The Black Candle is an extraordinary, inspirational story about the struggle and triumph of family, community, and culture. Visit the film's website to learn more.

Kwanzaa is an African American holiday that celebrates African heritage. It is celebrated over a period of 7 days at the end of December. Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in the 1960s. One of the seven principles of Kwanzaa is Kujichagulia (Self-Determination). Read more about Kwanzaa here.

Maya Angelou is a world-renowned award-winning author. Visit her website to learn more.

Dr. Maulana Karenga is professor of Africana Studies at California State University, Long Beach. An activist-scholar of national and international recognition, Dr. Karenga has played a significant role in Black intellectual and political culture since the '60s, especially in such educational and social movements as Black Studies, Black Power, Black Arts, Independent Schools, Afrocentricity, ancient Egyptian studies, Ifa ethical studies, the Million Person Marches, and reparations.

Written by M.K. Asante, Jr., 500 YEARS LATER is a critically acclaimed multi-award winning documentary filmed in five continents, 500 Years Later engages the authentic retrospective voice, told from the African vantage-point of those whom history has sought to silence by examining the collective atrocities that uprooted Africans from their culture and homeland.

Amiri Baraka (formerly LeRoi Jones) is a celebrated author and cultural activist. Read more about Baraka and his work.

In some African cultures, libation (often a small amount of wine) is poured or sprinkled on the ground to honor the ancestors and invite them to partake. Libation is one of the rituals of Kwanzaa.

Visit Makeda "Dread" Cheatom's weblog to learn more about the founder and director of the WorldBeat Cultural Center.

The Karamu, or Kwanzaa feast, is a communal gathering that is traditionally held on December 31.

Sene Africa, a duo of Senegalese musicians based in San Diego, plays both modern and traditional Mande music. This music style is associated with a caste of hereditary musicians descended from the ancient African empire of Mali. Amadou Fall is a jali (griot), or hereditary musician, and he plays the 21-string kora, an instrument traditionally played only by jalolu (pl. of jali). He is joined by Ibrahim Ba on vocals and guitar.

The kora is a type of spike harp played by jalolu, or hereditary musicians, in West African Mande societies. The instrument's brilliant, resonant sound is created by 21 strings that are secured to a skin-covered gourd resonator with a high bridge. A long neck passes through the gourd. The strings are arranged along two sides and are plucked in alternation by the right and left hand. Typically, a kora player accompanies singing or spoken words with an instrumental ostinato (repeating pattern) and plays virtuosic solo passages between vocal sections of a piece (such as the one heard here).

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form developed during times of slavery that combines music, dance, and martial arts, with extraordinary acrobatic movements. Learn more about the history of capoeira here.

The berimbau, a Brazilian one-string musical bow with a gourd resonator, is one of the main instruments of the capoeira ensemble. The bow is played with a small stone and it typically produces three sounds: open string, high pitch, and buzz. Here, the berimbau is played by San Diego's Dennis Newsome.

The West African djembe (or jembe) drum has been internationally popular since the 1980s. Learn about the instrument's history, geographic distribution, playing techniques, and more.

A gourd shaker with a necklace of beads or seeds is often used as a percussion instrument in West African drum ensembles, adding another polyrhythmic layer. Read more about gourd shakers here.

Each day of Kwanzaa, a candle is lit in honor of one of the seven principles of the holiday. The seven candles are placed in a special candleholder called the kinara.

Harambee is a call for unity during Kwanzaa, meaning "let us pull together."