| Celebrating America's African Heritage ! With a little Soul & Gospel Flava' ! |
| Thursday Dec. 29th, 2011 Entrance fee: FREE $1 donation per person benefits The Dwelling Place Homeless Shelter 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Va. Beach Central Library 4100 Va. Beach Blvd. Virginia Beach, VA 23510 757-385-3000 |
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| Song, Dance, Poetry, Culture, & Celebration ! Soulful Line Dancing / Gospel Line Dancing ! Party down with Line Dancers With Purpose ! |
| A Varner Family Event ! Presented by our sponsors: Happily Ever After.Be, Varner's Financial FREEdom, Kaldima Designs |
| Below video from a 1988 televison expose. Dr. Rev. & Mrs. Samuel & Ruth Varner's Kwanzaa celebration. The video begins with the in-home celebration and ends with the public celebration at Providence United Church of Christ in Chesapeake Virginia. Dr. Varner & Clarence Vincent, both shown in the video, are now both beloved ancestors. |
| This event is an extension of the Kwanzaa celebrations held by Rev. Dr. Samuel and Ruth Suggs Varner since 1970. These church held events placed worshiping Father God first, and celebrating Kwanzaa as secondary. These celebrations began in their church Nazarene Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) in Brooklyn, New York. These celebrations continued in Columbus Ohio at the church developed by the couple named Advent Community Church (United Church of Christ). Advent was the first church in Columbus Ohio to embrace and host an annual Kwanzaa celebration and even hosted events that involved Dr. Ron Karenga (One of Kwanzaa's original founders from the US Organization) and his Wife. Upon Dr. Varner's move to Chesapeake Virginia to lead Providence (United Church of Christ). Providence became the first church in Hampton Roads' Virginia to host a Kwanzaa celebration in 1987. From this event members of the community led by Mr. & Mrs. Clarence and Dianne Vincent developed the Uhuruu African American Cultural Society which led the area in hosting annual Kwanzaa events which continued until 2010 by The Imani Foundation. The Varner's held a private Kwanzaa event in their home from 1990 until the passing of Rev. Dr. Samuel Varner in September 2009. In 2010 the family continued the annual celebration by making it a public event. Enjoy as the Varner family presents an annual Gospel flavored Kwanzaa event worshiping the Almighty Father and celebrating America's African roots. All are welcome ! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year ! |
| Kwanzaa was developed in the volatile period of the 1960s by Americans of African descent based on broad cultural practices from the African continent. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the term Kwanza which means "First Fruits". An additional letter "a" was added at the end of the term when naming the celebration Kwanzaa to represent the United States of America. The last two letter "a"s in the celebration of Kwanzaa represent Afro America. The term African American is now considered more politically correct to refer to native born Americans (USA) who have some level of African ancestry. Kwanzaa is not a religious celebration and has been embraced by many/some American Christans who also wish to celebrate their African roots. Kwanzaa's initial founders and initial embracers were Americans who were critical with aspects of America's experience, some of which were considered radical in the media's eyes. Detractors of the celebration often include the faults and the discontent of Ron Karenga, Kwanzaa's main named founder, when denouncing the celebration. |
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