CARBONDALE, Ill. (KFVS) – Kwanzaa is currently being celebrated around the world, and one Heartland museum is working hard to bring awareness to the cultural celebration.

In Carbondale, the African American Museum of Southern Illinois hosted its annual Kwanzaa celebration on Monday, December 29.

Kwanzaa is an African American and pan-African holiday that celebrates family, community and culture.

It’s celebrated from December 26 through January 1.

The origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa, from which it takes its name.

Carbondale NAACP Branch Secretary, Quianya Enge, emphasizes the importance of preserving cultural traditions, especially for our youth.

“We understand that we are not a community alone,” Enge said. “It starts with the people, but it’s an expansion of what the world could be and how we can bring it together on a common ground.

The African American Museum of Southern Illinois is located inside the University Mall in Carbondale and is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

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