Happy Kwanzaa 2013
It’s a culture “thang”—Kwanzaa is a non-religious
African-American festival which synthesizes and reinvents traditional African
"first fruits" celebrations and a celebration to be enjoyed by all!
From the U.S. Postal Service:
Kwanzaa Stamps (2013)
DESCRIPTION
With bright colors and a new stylized design, the U.S.
Postal Service continues its tradition of celebrating Kwanzaa. This annual
non-religious holiday, which takes place over seven days from December 26 to
January 1, brings family community and culture together for many African
Americans.
The stamp art features a man, woman, and child dressed in
traditional, African-inspired clothing joined together in a unifying embrace.
Their intertwined arms form a circle around seven candles, known as the
mishumaa saba—a centerpiece of the Kwanzaa table. An open book symbolizes the
holiday's emphasis on knowledge and cultural history. The design is cast in the
holiday's primary colors of red, black, and green.
Created in 1966 by activist and scholar Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa
draws on African traditions, deriving its name from the phrase “first fruits”
in Swahili, a widely spoken African language. It has its origins in first
harvest celebrations that occurred across the African continent in ancient and
modern times. Karenga sought to synthesize and reinvent these tribal traditions
as a contemporary celebration of African-American culture.
Artist R. Gregory Christie worked with art director Antonio
Alcalá, who designed the stamp.
This is the fifth stamp design issued by the U.S. Postal
Service in celebration of Kwanzaa. The first Kwanzaa commemorative stamp was
issued in 1997. New designs were also issued in 2004, 2009, and 2011.
Kwanzaa is being issued as a Forever® stamp. Forever stamps
are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate [1].