Local events are being held this week to mark Kwanzaa, an annual celebration of African-American culture, Thursday to Jan. 1.

Kwanzaa was initially observed in 1966 and was established by activist Maulana Karenga, drawing inspiration from harvest festival customs in different regions of West, East and Southeast Africa.

Local events are:

•   6 p.m. Thursday, New Bethel Baptist Church, 1507 Hillman St., Youngstown. The event will celebrate Umoja (unity) and include music, dancing and cultural expression, featuring the Harambee Youth Organization and Karamu community feast. Speakers include the Rev. Kenneth Simon, pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church.

•   2 p.m. Saturday, Public Library of Youngstown, 305 Wick Ave., with a panel discussion on Ujima (collective work and responsibility) and youth involvement. Speakers include Joe Napier, director of Youngstown Creative Collective / Juneteenth coordinator.

•  3:30 p.m. Sunday, Beulah Baptist Church, 570 Sherwood Ave., Youngstown, with music, dancing and cultural expression. Speakers include the Rev. Kevin Strickland, pastor of Beulah Baptist Church. There will be vendors.

Event organizers said that COVID-19 safety procedures will be in place, due to the still existing pandemic, including taking temperatures and sanitizing hands.

Organizers said all other nights of Kwanzaa should be celebrated at home.

Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles, as follows:

•   Umoja (unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

•   Kujichagulia (self-determination): To define and name ourselves, and to create and speak for ourselves.

•  Ujima (collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community together, and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and solve them together.

•   Ujamaa (cooperative economics): To build and maintain our stores, shops and other businesses, and to profit from them together.

•  Nia (purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

•  Kuumba (creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited.

•   Imani (faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.