Although Kwanzaa has grown since its start in 1966, experts and professors say the holiday still holds misconceptions in society, which have designated it as a holiday for the black community, rather than one that applies to all cultures.

The weeklong holiday. which begins Dec. 26 and ends Jan. 1, 2013, is based on devoting each day to one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Each day of the week during Kwanzaa, a candle is lit for each principle to remind participants of their value and prevalence in their lives, celebrating one value each day.

Although the holiday was created to tie members of the black community to their ancestry, assistant professor in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities Austin Jackson said a common misconception is that the week is reserved for the black community, when in reality, members of any group are encouraged to participate.

“The basic principles are some principles we hope to celebrate in democracy itself,” Jackson said. “(They’re) not just African principles. … They’re ideas our societies in general have struggled to put into perspective for everyone. Everyone should partake.”

African American and African Studies, or AAAS, doctoral student El-Ra Adair Radney, who celebrates Kwanzaa each year, said the holiday isn’t about race, but values that can be applied in any lifestyle.

“Kwanzaa is being celebrated across the world by non-African Americans,” Radney said. “That’s the kind of perspective we want people to take from this: The African American experience is an American experience.”

AAAS director Rita Kiki Edozie said another misconception about the holiday is that it is viewed as a religious holiday, when actually it is one rooted in culture and tradition. She said many people view Kwanzaa as an alternative to Hannukah and Christmas, but it should be seen as a supplement.

“While (people who celebrate Kwanzaa) celebrate Christmas and Hannukah as well as Islamic holidays, they also have an African American holiday they are rooted in as well,” she said. “(Kwanzaa) is a celebration of diversity and multiculturalism.”

To celebrate the holiday at MSU, the AAAS department is hosting historian Gerald Horne on Dec. 11 to speak about African American issues in culture and politics.

Members of the AAAS department hope the event will bring light to both the holiday and some of the issues facing the black community.