Maulana Karenga
maulana ndabezitha karenga born ronald mckinley everett july previously known ron karenga american activist author professor africana study best known creator panafrican africanamerican holiday kwanzaa born parsonsburg maryland africanamerican family karenga studied los angeles city college university california los angeles active black power movement joining congress racial equality student nonviolent coordinating committee karenga hakim jamal cofounded black nationalist group u organization became involved violent clash black panther party convicted felony assault torture false imprisonment woman denied involvement claimed prosecution political nature karenga imprisoned california men colony received parole karenga notably created kwanzaa modeling holiday african first fruit tradition ritual holiday promote african tradition including seven principle african heritage early year kwanzaa karenga said meant black alternative christmas karenga secular humanist challenged sanity jesus declared christianity white religion black people shun however karenga later changed opinion stating kwanzaa meant provide people alternative religion religious holiday karenga awarded two doctorate one political science one social ethic currently chair africana study department california state university long beach authored several book karenga born parsonsburg maryland th child seventh son family father levi everett tenant farmer baptist minister employed family work field effective sharecropping arrangement karenga moved los angeles joining older brother teacher attended los angeles city college became active civil right organization congress racial equality student nonviolent coordinating committee took interest african study elected laccs first africanamerican student president earning associate degree matriculated university california los angeles earned ba degree political science studied swahili arabic africanrelated subject among influence ucla jamaican anthropologist negritudist councill taylor contested eurocentric view alien culture primitive period took name karenga swahili keeper tradition title maulana swahiliarabic master teacher watt riot broke karenga year doctoral study black congress bc formed communityrebuilding organization aftermath within bc discussion group centered black nationalist idea called circle seven formed included hakim jamal cousin malcolm x karenga group published u magazine meaning u black people formed organization called u organization joined several community revival program featured press report karenga cited malcolm x afroamerican unity program influence u organization work malcolm major african american thinker influenced term nationalism panafricanism know towards end malcolm expanding concept islam nationalism stress panafricanism particular way argues whole idea cultural revolution need revolution argues need cultural revolution argues must return africa culturally spiritually even cant go physically thats tremendous impact u karenga soon diverged malcolm x idea black nationalism took u direction focused promoting african culture jamal adherent malcolm x idea left group racial disturbance spread across country karenga appeared series black power conference joining group urging establishment separate political structure african american u developed youth component paramilitary aspect called simba wachanga advocated practiced community selfdefense service mass karenga founded newspaper harambee started newsletter u eventually became newspaper los angeles black congress umbrella organization several group late u organization became bitter rival black panther party differing view black nationalism federal bureau investigation intensified antipathy part cointelpro operation sending forged letter group purported group would believe publicly humiliating rivalry came climax series armed confrontation retaliatory shooting left four panther dead injured side memorandum los angeles field office fbi dated may confirmed surge conflict suited objective would encouraged intended u inc discreetly appropriately advised time location bpp activity order two organization might brought together thus grant nature opportunity take due course according louis tackwood former informant los angeles police department criminal conspiracy section author glass house tape ronald karenga knowingly provided financial arm support lapd tackwood liaison u operation black panther karenga enjoyed level trust among figure government including lapd chief thomas reddin california governor ronald reagan karenga created kwanzaa first panafrican holiday karenga said goal give black alternative existing holiday give black opportunity celebrate history rather simply imitate practice dominant society kwanzaa inspired african first fruit tradition name chosen swahili matunda ya kwanza ritual holiday promote african tradition nguzo saba seven principle african heritage karenga described communitarian african philosophy umoja unity—to strive maintain unity family community nation race kujichagulia selfdetermination—to define name create speak ujima collective work responsibility—to build maintain community together make brother sister problem problem solve together ujamaa cooperative economics—to build maintain store shop business profit together nia purpose—to make collective vocation building development community order restore people traditional greatness kuumba creativity—to always much way order leave community beautiful beneficial inherited imani faith—to believe heart people parent teacher leader righteousness victory struggle karenga sentenced one ten year prison count felony assault false imprisonment may article los angeles time described testimony one woman deborah jones given swahili title african queen said gail davis whipped electrical cord beaten karate baton ordered remove clothes testified hot soldering iron placed miss davis mouth placed miss davis face one big toe tightened vise karenga head u also put detergent running hose mouth said also hit head toaster jones brenda karenga testified karenga believed woman conspiring poison davis attributed combination ongoing police pressure drug abuse karenga denied involvement torture argued prosecution political nature imprisoned california men colony studied wrote feminism panafricanism subject u organization fell disarray absence disbanded petitioned several black state official support parole fair sentencing ground granted karenga declined discus conviction reporter mention biographical material appearance wabash college denied charge described former political prisoner parole karenga reestablished u organization new structure awarded first phd united state international university later merged alliant international university dissertation titled afroamerican nationalism social strategy struggle community formulated set principle called kawaida swahili term normal karenga called africanamericans adopt secular humanism reject practice mythical also director kawaida institute pan african study author several book including introduction black study comprehensive blackafrican study textbook fourth edition originally published also known cohosted conference gave rise association study classical african civilization awarded second phd social ethic university southern california dissertation titled maat moral ideal ancient egypt study classical african ethic sat organizing committee authored mission statement million man march karenga delivered eulogy funeral service new black panther party leader khalid abdul muhammad praising organizing activity commitment black empowerment scholar molefi kete asante listed maulana karenga list greatest african american karenga chair africana study department california state university long beach owen alik shahadah documentary year later sequel motherland mk asantes documentary black candle introduction black study th edition university sankore press isbn edition kwanzaa celebration family community culture isbn maat moral ideal ancient egypt isbn odu ifa ethical teaching isbn kawaida question life struggle isbn selection husia isbn book coming forth day isbn handbook black study coedited molefi kete asante isbn million man marchday absence commemorative anthology coedited haki madhubuti isbn maulana karenga intellectual portrait polity isbn work maulana karenga internet archive official maulana karenga site faculty web page organization u official kwanzaa web site archived september wayback machine maulana karenga imdb federal bureau investigation fbi monograph u april biography dr maulana karenga year later film site interview dr karenga pb public broadcasting service wgbhfrontline postobama kwanzaa michael eric dyson december fact dr maulana karenga image ron karenga standing outside courtroom los angeles california los angeles time photographic archive collection ucla library special collection charles e young research library university california los angeles