Lift Every Voice and Celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa!

Posted on December 12, 2021 by Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director

By Regennia N. Williams, PhD

To my mind, nothing showcases American diversity quite like the rich tapestry of religious and cultural traditions associated with holiday celebrations. I am, therefore, looking forward to the many Christmas and Kwanzaa events that will take place this year –both virtually and in person! Here are two of my must-see /must-hear programs for 2021. Happy Holidays!

Evelyn Simpson-Curenton is shown here in a still from the 2021 Simpson Family Christmas Video.

The musical talents of organist-vocalist Evelyn Simpson-Cuenton have not escaped the notice of discerning listeners in America–including those with ties to Washington DC’s Shiloh Baptist Church, her home church. This Christmas season, however, she joined family members and friends to present a virtual artistic performance for global audiences. The 2021 Simpson Family Christmas program had its YouTube premiere on December 11th, but it is still available online. Click HERE and enjoy!

Mr. K. D. Hale and Dr. Maulana Karenga’s classic Kwanzaa text.

Several of my Cleveland, Ohio colleagues were kind enough to share their thoughts on the history and meaning of the Kwanzaa holiday, including Mr. K.D. Hale, who is pictured above. You are cordially invited to visit my Anchor site and listen to Mr. Hale’s episode in my “Fifty Golden Moments” podcast series.



The Kwanzaa display in the Hay-McKinney Mansion at the Western Reserve Historical Society.

(Photo: Regennia N. Williams)

Friday, December 31, 2021, 1-3 PM

Out of an abundance of caution amid the current COVID-19 surge, we have decided to postpone our 12/31 Kwanzaa event. Please watch for announcements about 2022 events that will incorporate the principles of Kwanzaa and other aspects of African American history and culture. Reservations for the 12/31 event will be honored at the rescheduled event. Take care, be well, and happy holidays. –Regennia

The Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland History Center

10825 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106

Hosts: Kwanza Brewer, Beverly Lloyd, and Dr. Regennia N. Williams

  • This celebration of Kwanzaa, an African American and Pan-African holiday, is free for members and all other guests with paid or gift museum admission.
  • A limited number of “Zawadi” (Gift) admissions (two per guest) will be available on a first come, first served basis for those who reserve tickets in advance.
  • Activities will include music, crafts, storytelling, gifts, games, and refreshments!
  • Advance reservations are strongly encouraged (*for catering and gift-giving purposes), but we will also try to accommodate walk-ins on a space-available basis.
  • Guests can make advance reservations via cletix.com December 10-31. At the checkout, please apply the discount code “ZAWADI” to receive the two gift admissions.
  • Please visit wrhs.org for additional ticket information.
  • If you have other questions or concerns, please write to: info@wrhs.org.

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About Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Founder, President, and Executive Director

Dr. Regennia N. Williams is the Founder and Executive Director of The RASHAD Center, Inc., a Maryland-based non-profit educational corporation. Williams holds a PhD in Social History and Policy from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. A native Clevelander and a four-time alumna of Cleveland State University, information on RASHAD's “Praying Grounds, African American Faith Communities: A Documentary and Oral History” project is now available online at www.ClevelandMemory.org/pray/, a site that is maintained by CSU's Library Special Collections, home of the Praying Grounds manuscript collections. Praying Grounds was the primary inspiration for the launching of the Initiative for the Study of Religion and Spirituality in the History of Africa and the Diaspora (RASHAD) at CSU, and links to RASHAD's scholarly journal and newsletter are also available on the Praying Grounds site. On April 28, 2020, the RASHAD Center, Inc. became a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In 2010, Dr. Williams was a Visiting Fulbright Scholar at Nigeria’s Obafemi Awolowo University, where she taught history and directed a RASHAD-related oral history project that focused on the role of religion in recent Nigerian social history. Other research-related travels have taken her to Canada, China, France, South Africa, and Austria. In 2013, she conceived and produced “Come Sunday @ 70: The Place of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Jazz in World History and Culture, c. 1943-2013,” a project that included scholarly presentations and performing arts activities. From September 1993 until May 2015, she was a faculty member in the Department of History at Cleveland State University. She served as a Fulbright Specialist at South Africa's University of the Free State in the summer of 2019, and completed a short-term faculty residency at Howard University in the fall of 2019. She is based in Cleveland, Ohio. As a public scholar, her current research projects focus on African American history and culture, especially as it relates to music, religion, and spirituality. She is a member of the Oral History Association, the Western Reserve Historical Society, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
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