id ays ▁with ▁observ ances ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Another ▁hol iday ▁not ▁widely ▁observed ▁outside ▁of ▁the ▁African - American ▁community ▁is ▁the ▁birth day ▁of ▁Mal col m   X . ▁The ▁day ▁is ▁observed ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 9 ▁in ▁American ▁cities ▁with ▁a ▁significant ▁African - American ▁population , ▁including ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁ ▁Another ▁noted ▁African - American ▁hol iday ▁is ▁K w anza a . ▁Like ▁E man cip ation ▁Day , ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁widely ▁observed ▁outside ▁of ▁the ▁African - American ▁community , ▁although ▁it ▁is ▁growing ▁in ▁popular ity ▁with ▁both ▁African - American ▁and ▁African ▁communities . ▁African - American ▁scholar ▁and ▁activ ist ▁" Ma ul ana " ▁Ron ▁Kar eng a ▁invent ed ▁the ▁festival ▁of ▁K w anza a ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁as ▁an ▁alternative ▁to ▁the ▁increasing ▁commercial ization ▁of ▁Christmas . ▁Der ived ▁from ▁the ▁har vest ▁rit uals ▁of ▁Afr icans , ▁K w anza a ▁is ▁observed ▁each ▁year ▁from ▁December ▁ 2 6 ▁through ▁January ▁ 1 . ▁Part icip ants ▁in ▁K w anza a ▁celebr ations ▁aff irm ▁their ▁African ▁her itage ▁and ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁family ▁and ▁community ▁by ▁drink ing ▁from ▁a ▁unity ▁cup ; ▁light ing ▁red , ▁black , ▁and ▁green ▁cand les ; ▁ex ch anging ▁her itage ▁symbols , ▁such ▁as ▁African ▁art ; ▁and ▁rec ount ing ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁people ▁who ▁strugg led ▁for ▁African ▁and ▁African