KWANZAA WILL BE OBSERVED MONDAY

Kwanzaa, an African-American holiday, will be celebrated Monday.

Observed for the first time in the United States in 1966, Kwansaa gets its name from the phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning first fruits.

This is a time in Africa when tribes celebrate the first crops of the year, said Dr. Bernice Coar-Cobb, one of the organizers of the local celebration, which will culminate with a feast at the gymnasium of the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope.

Kwansaa, said Coar-Cobb, is a time of thanksgiving as well as rededication to African-American principles and culture.

The seven-day observance Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 was started in the U.S. by Maulana Ron Karenaga, a black nationalist scholar who saw a need for a holiday for black families.

A karamu, or feast, is observed during one day of Kwanzaa, featuring a joyful celebration of food, dance and music.

"People tell how they will improve their lives, using the seven principles of Kwanzaa," said Michael Sterling, who helped in the organization of Monday's celebration, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The principles include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

More than 100 people are expected to attend the special feast.

The theme of this year's observance is "harambaee," pulling together.

"We'll all be pulling together for family, community and country," said Coar-Cobb.

In addition to the fun, those attending the celebration will feast on food prepared by Helen Sterling.

"We'll have fried chicken, black-eyed peas, slaw and corn bread," said Coar-Cobb. Cost of the dinner is $3 for adults and $2 for children, with all proceeds going to the Marva Collins Education Club at Southeast Missouri State University, one of the sponsors of the feast. The first Kwanzaa observance group here was established on the university campus in 1989.

Among guests Monday will be Jessica Slaughter of St. Louis, author of the book, "From the Other Side."

Also present will be Don Evans, president of the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter, and Carmellia Hudson, a student at Cape Central High School and a member of the NAACP, who will serve as masters of ceremonies.

Michael Sterling, former president of the local NAACP, will introduce a new game at the festivities -- Motherland. The game, a cross between charades and Jeopardy, is a board game designed to teach contributions of African-Americans in society, said Sterling. "It is produced by Black Heritage Products, a group of black American companies.

Sterling also will light the candles that represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa and will discuss U.S. Rep. John Conyers' (D-Michigan) Reparation Slavery Bill HR 891.

"This is a bill to set up a commission to study reparations proposals for an African Americans Act," said Sterling. "It was first introduced in 1989 and has been introduced every two years since, but is still in the House Judiciary Committee." Sterling is seeking signatures for petitions for action on the bill.