2020 Kwanzaa Forever First Class Postage Stamps

Kwanzaa, first celebrated in 1966, is a modern holiday that honors African culture, heritage, and community. Rich in symbolism, it is deeply rooted in tradition, with the number seven woven throughout its customs. The celebration spans seven days, centers on seven guiding principles, and features seven symbols, seven candles, and even seven letters in the word “Kwanzaa.”

Maggie Macnab, author of Decoding Design, describes the number seven as “the untouchable, mystical process… with a feminine orientation: invisible, mysterious, and linked to the unknowable.” Indeed, seven appears frequently in everyday life — in the digits of our telephone numbers, the wonders of the world (both ancient and modern), the seven continents and seas, and the seven colors of a rainbow.

Seven also holds profound meaning across many faiths and cultures, often symbolizing perfection and completion in both physical and spiritual realms. Whether by design or coincidence, Maulana Karenga, the founder of Kwanzaa, created a holiday whose use of seven deepens its sense of purpose and meaning.

Kwanzaa is more than a celebration; it is a reflection of culture, history, and shared values — a time for families and communities to come together in unity, learning, and renewal.