Early life

1960s activism

US Organization Main article: US Organization The Watts riots broke out when Karenga was a year into his doctoral studies. Karenga and the Circle of Seven established a community organization in the aftermath called US (meaning "Us black people").[8] The organization joined in several community revival programs and was featured in press reports. Karenga cited Malcolm X's Afro-American Unity program as an influence on the US organization's work: Malcolm was the major African American thinker that influenced me in terms of nationalism and Pan-Africanism. As you know, towards the end, when Malcolm is expanding his concept of Islam, and of nationalism, he stresses Pan-Africanism in a particular way. And he argues that, and this is where we have the whole idea that cultural revolution and the need for revolution, he argues that we need a cultural revolution, he argues that we must return to Africa culturally and spiritually, even if we can't go physically. And so that's a tremendous impact on US.[9] As racial disturbances spread across the country, Karenga appeared at a series of black power conferences, joining other groups in urging the establishment of a separate political structure for African-Americans.[citation needed] US developed a youth component with para-military aspects called the Simba Wachanga which advocated and practiced community self-defense and service to the masses.[citation needed] In 1966, Karenga founded the newspaper Harambee, which started as a newsletter for US and eventually became the newspaper for the Los Angeles Black Congress, an umbrella organization for several groups.[10] Kwanzaa Karenga, center, with wife Tiamoyo at left, celebrating Kwanzaa at the Rochester Institute of Technology on December 12, 2003. Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966 to be the first pan-African holiday. Karenga said his goal was to "give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society."[12] Kwanzaa is inspired by African "first fruit" traditions, and the name chosen is from Swahili, "matunda ya kwanza."[13] The rituals of the holiday promote African traditions and Nguzo Saba, the "seven principles of African Heritage" that Karenga described as "a communitarian African philosophy": Umoja (unity)—To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

Kujichagulia (self-determination)—To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

Ujima (collective work and responsibility)—To build and maintain our community together and make our brother's and sister's problems our problems and to solve them together.

Ujamaa (cooperative economics)—To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Nia (purpose)—To make our collective vocation the building and development of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

Kuumba (creativity)—To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Imani (faith)—To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Criminal conviction and imprisonment

In 1971, Karenga was sentenced to one to ten years in prison on counts of felonious assault and imprisonment.[14] One of the victims gave testimony of how Karenga and other men tortured her and another woman. The woman described having been stripped and beaten with an electrical cord. Karenga's estranged wife, Brenda Lorraine Karenga, testified that she sat on the other woman's stomach while another man forced water into her mouth through a hose. A May 14, 1971, article in the Los Angeles Times described the testimony of one of the women: Deborah Jones, who once was given the Swahili title of an African queen, said she and Gail Davis were whipped with an electrical cord and beaten with a karate baton after being ordered to remove their clothes. She testified that a hot soldering iron was placed in Miss Davis' mouth and placed against Miss Davis' face and that one of her own big toes was tightened in a vise. Karenga, head of US, also put detergent and running hoses in their mouths, she said. They also were hit on the heads with toasters.[15] Jones and Brenda Karenga testified that Karenga believed the women were conspiring to poison him, which Davis has attributed to a combination of ongoing police pressure and his own drug abuse.[5][16] Karenga denied any involvement in the torture, and argued that the prosecution was political in nature.[5][17] He was imprisoned at the California Men's Colony, where he studied and wrote on feminism, Pan-Africanism and other subjects. The US Organization fell into disarray during his absence and was disbanded in 1974. After he petitioned several black state officials to support his parole on fair sentencing grounds, it was granted in 1975.[18] Karenga has declined to discuss the convictions with reporters and does not mention them in biographical materials.[16] During a 2007 appearance at Wabash College, he again denied the charges and described himself as a former political prisoner.[19]

Later career

Films

Published works

Introduction to Black Studies . 2002, 3rd edition, University of Sankore Press. ISBN 0943412234

. 2002, 3rd edition, University of Sankore Press. ISBN 0943412234 Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture . 1998. ISBN 0943412218

. 1998. ISBN 0943412218 Maat, The Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt . ISBN 0415947537

. ISBN 0415947537 Odu Ifa: The Ethical Teachings . ISBN 0943412226

. ISBN 0943412226 Kawaida and Questions of Life and Struggle . ISBN 0943412293

. ISBN 0943412293 Selections from the Husia . ISBN 0943412064

. ISBN 0943412064 Book of Coming Forth By Day . ISBN 0943412145

. ISBN 0943412145 Handbook of Black Studies , co-edited with Molefi Kete Asante. ISBN 0761928405

, co-edited with Molefi Kete Asante. ISBN 0761928405 The Million Man March/Day of Absence: A Commemorative Anthology , co-edited with Haki Madhubuti. ISBN 0883781883

, co-edited with Haki Madhubuti. ISBN 0883781883 Maulana Karenga: An Intellectual Portrait, Polity. ISBN 0745648282